


The Temporary Husband (A overboard/reylo fan fic)

by Hellyjellybean



Category: Overboard (1987), Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Adopted Children, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Small Town, Anger, Ben Solo is a Pompous Ass, Ben is a millionaire with an attitude problem, Comedy, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Eventual Romance, Eventual Smut, F/M, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Funny, Moral Lessons, Overboard AU, Rey is down on her luck, Reylo - Freeform, Romantic Comedy, Slow Burn, Swearing, Temporary Amnesia
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-05
Updated: 2019-02-13
Packaged: 2019-10-05 02:06:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 16
Words: 24,564
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17316044
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hellyjellybean/pseuds/Hellyjellybean
Summary: Single mom Rey is down on her luck, and just when she thinks things can't get any worse, Ben Solo proves her theory wrong, and provides her with one last humiliating blow. Licking her wounds, Rey picks herself back up but Ben finds himself in a bad way. Injured and without any knowledge of who he is, Rey may be the only person able to provide Ben with the information he so sorely needs, but perhaps there is a way Rey could use Ben's situation to teach him a lesson and get back at him once and for all.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is a Reylo and Overboard AU fan fic. I like both the original and new version of the Overboard film so I'm stealing elements from both and adding a few surprises along the way! You can expect some shocks and some hilarity. Enjoy! :-) 
> 
> Thank you to theselittlethings for her marvellous beta skills. :-)

If Rey knew one thing for sure, it was that life would kick you in the nuts over and over and there wasn’t a damn thing you could do about it. She thought about this as she walked down the street to the subway holding a cardboard box containing her miniature rose plant and a pink sparkly notebook, a precious present from her adopted daughter.

‘Let go.’ She had been ‘let go.’ It sounded like it should be a good thing, like letting go of a balloon or a kite, leaving her free to soar above the clouds, but she felt like she was hurtling towards the pavement instead. Hot tears threatened to pour down her cheeks but she blinked them back. There would be time to cry in private later. She needed to be strong. After all, this didn’t just affect her. 

It had seemed like a great idea at the time, to adopt some kids and have a ready-made family. It was a dream come true for an orphan who had spent her childhood hopping from foster home to foster home, and though money was always tight, Rey loved Star and Warren as if they were her own.

Star, was five and the light of Rey’s life with her beaming smile and eternal optimism. Warren, ten, was more of a challenge, and Rey had had to work hard to gain his trust but the boy’s intellect was outstanding and she had high hopes for his future. She tightened her grip on her box of meagre belongings. Guess they would just have to make the best of it. Again. Rey wished life would find another poor bastard to pick on.

After a hot exhausting journey, Rey arrived home and silently sent out a prayer of gratitude that the kids were still at school. She mustered the strength to walk up the steps to the front door of the small home she shared with her children, popping the key in the lock and sighing at the sight of the ‘final notice’ envelopes littering the carpeted floor. Rey closed the door behind her and sunk to the ground.

‘I could really use a break here,’ she said out loud before burying her head in her hands. 

**********

Benjamin Solo slammed his glass down on the counter in front of Hux, causing the man to jump. ‘I don’t give a damn how far away the store is, if you feed me this cheap ass vodka again I will drown you in it, do I make myself clear?’

‘Yes Sir,’ Hux replied with a look of loathing on his face.

‘And wipe that look off your face. If you hate me so much, why do you continue to work for me?’

‘I don’t hate you Sir,’ Hux said unconvincingly.

‘You’re a shitty liar Hux,’ Ben shot back. 

‘Yes Sir,’ Hux conceded. 

Ben walked away before he made the image of  his fist connected with Hux’s face a reality. He could feel the angry red heads eyes boring a hole in his back as he exited the room. 

Hux was an enigma to Ben. He hated his job as Ben’s butler (that was abundantly clear) yet he chose not to leave. Ben enjoyed pushing to see how far Hux would go before reaching his final limit, even insisting he come on this journey with him aboard his yacht knowing that Hux always became violently seasick. But yet again Hux had decided to grin and bear it. Well, grimace and bear it anyway. 

Ben could only assume that it was the ‘relationship’ Hux created in his head with Ben’s adoptive father that kept Hux skulking around. It was sickening how he pandered to Sirius Snoke, a man that most people, including his own children, wanted to recoil from. Hux seemed to think that the nicer he was to the odious man, the more chance there was of him being remembered in the aging millionaires will. Ben knew how laughable that was because Ben’s father didn’t care for ‘nice.’ He wanted destroyers. World conquerors. Unmatched captains of industry. 

Sirius Snoke raised his two adopted children to take over his business and that goal took a firm hand and a firm belt apparently. Ben shook the unwelcome thoughts of his difficult childhood away as he returned to the top deck, taking in a deep breath of sea air as he stared out over the glimmering horizon. 

They had been stuck in port at this stupid country bumpkin town for two days and they were still no closer to fixing the problem with the yacht’s engine. It was ridiculous that they couldn’t find one capable mechanic in the whole place. 

Ben did have to admit that if he hadn’t called his crew incompetent fools, perhaps they wouldn’t have quit leaving only Hux, Ben, and a few remaining staff onboard with no one capable of fixing the broken engine. Perhaps a small amount of the blame was on him here, but most of the blame could be attributed to the incompetent fools themselves! 

‘Sir.’ Ben turned to see Hux standing to attention behind him on the deck. ‘I was talking to some of the other boat owners in the area and they said there is a girl, Rey is her name. She isn’t a mechanic per se, has a number of jobs from what I understand, but the men consider her an expert when it comes to engine work. They gave me her number.’ Hux held out his hand with a small piece of paper held gingerly between his finger and thumb. Ben snatched it away.

‘Thank you Hux. I will deal with this,’ he said, looking down at the number scrawled on the tiny scrap.

‘Very well Sir,’ Hux drawled in his British accent before bowing slightly and taking his leave. Ben rolled his eyes. The bowing was absurd but it made Hux crazy so he kept insisting on it.

Ben took his phone out of his pocket and dialled the number.

‘You better by worth my time,’ he growled as he waited for the phone to connect, ‘I am not in the mood for anymore time wasters.’

**********

Rey was lying flat on the floor with the pile of unopened bills covering her chest when she felt her pocket buzz. She fished out her phone and frowned at the unknown number.

‘Hello?’

‘Is this Rey?’ A deep voice enquired impatiently.

‘It is. Who may I ask is speaking?’ Rey asked, pulling herself up to a sitting position.

‘This is Benjamin Solo. I’m a visitor to your… town and my yacht has a mechanical problem. I need to get out of here so when can you come?’

‘Hold on a second! What?’ Rey shook her head trying to take in all the information that had been thrown at her in the last thirty seconds.

There was an audible sigh on the other side of the phone, ‘I need you to come and fix my boat, as soon as possible. Can you do that?’

This time the voice was very slow and very patronising. Anger bubbled up to Rey’s stomach and she considered hanging up, but catching sight of a picture of Star and Warren on a nearby occasional table had her swallowing her fury. This guy was an asshole, but he was probably a rich asshole and she wasn’t in the position to be turning down paid work.

‘Yes. I can come now. Just tell me where you are.’

‘Excellent. Obviously we are docked at the harbour, it’s the biggest boat. You can’t miss it.’

Rey rolled her eyes. ‘Okay, I’ll be thirty minutes.’

‘Very well. We can discuss the issue of payment once I see whether or not you are capable for the job. 

The voice hung up and Rey was left feeling relieved to have something to distract her from her current predicament, but also feeling exceedingly angry that she would have to play nice with such an obnoxious individual. She picked herself up and located her tool kit. Picking up her phone she called her best friend Rose for a lift, hoping she wouldn’t ask too many questions about why she was home so early. She wasn’t ready to delve into her little sob story yet. That was for later… after at least two glasses of wine.

**********

When Rey arrived at the harbour and waved her friend goodbye, she had to concede that there was no way she could have missed which vessel belonged to Benjamin Solo. His yacht was at least twice as big as every other boat she could see.

A tall, pale man met her as she approached the boat.

‘Miss Rey I presume? I am Armitage Hux, Mr. Solo’s personal butler. You can address me as Hux. Please come this way,’ he said in a very proper British accent. Rey smiled and followed him, wondering if she should have curtsied.

Once they were on deck she came face to back with Benjamin Solo. The first thing she noticed was how tall he was, then how broad his shoulders were. He was wearing white linen trousers and a light blue shirt. She noted with interest that his hair was jet black and styled to fall just above his shoulders. He turned and met her with a scowl.

‘Well? Can you do it?’ he demanded, marching towards her and forcing her to crane her neck to meet his eyes. Wow. Such a deep brown…

‘Can you do it?’ he repeated loudly causing Rey to blink hard. 

That voice! It shook her insides…

‘Mr. Solo I haven’t had time to inspect the engine, but as I haven’t came across an engine I haven’t been able to fix yet, I can say with some confidence that I’m sure I can have you sailing the ocean blue again in no time.’

Ben’s mouth quirked up a little then it was gone. Was that a hint of a smile? She noted with interest that she very much wanted to see him smile. She noted with even more interest that she wanted to be the reason for that smile. Curious.

‘Hux, show her to the engine,’ Ben said and he turned away from her signalling that the conversation was over.

_Rude! I take it all back!_ She thought to herself angrily as she followed Hux to the engine room.

Ben had been surprised to find that the girl was so young, early twenties maybe? And very attractive in a girl-next-door kind of a way, not nearly sophisticated enough for him, but maybe with the right guidance?

Ben shook his head. Was he really getting hot and bothered over the help?

‘Get a grip Ben,’ he told himself as he sipped his martini, but his mind kept wandering back to her shapely tanned legs and her pretty mouth.

**********

Rey hoped she hadn’t gotten in too deep. Sure, she had fixed fishing boats and tugs before, but a super-yacht? This was something else.

‘I didn’t expect to find a fellow Brit all the way out here!’ Hux shouted back to her as they clunked down some metal steps.

‘Ahh yes! Guess that would be a bit of a surprise. I’ve lived here so long now I sometimes forget that I’m not a native.’

‘I see,’ Hux replied. Clearly disinterested. ‘Well, here we are. Shall I leave you to it?’

Rey took a look at the complex machinery in front of her.

‘Ahh… Yes sure.’

‘Just call if you need anything.’

Then she was alone with only a massive hunk of metal to keep her company. Rey swallowed.

‘Okay time to get to work.’

An hour later sweating profusely with streaks of dirt in her face, Rey reappeared on deck.

‘Done!’ she said cheerfully wiping her hands on a rag.

Mr. Solo sat in a deck chair with his legs crossed leaning his head on his finger and thumb. He observed her from the privacy of his sunglasses but said nothing. Rey suppressed a shiver.

‘Hux!’ he shouted, making Rey jump.

Hux appeared on deck.

‘Yes Sir?’

‘The girl seems to think she has fixed the problem. Start the engine so we can test her theory. 

‘Yes Sir,’ Hux replied before disappearing once more.

Rey crossed her arms over her chest,

‘The girl has a name. It’s Rey, remember?’

Ben didn’t reply. They both heard the engine roar into life and Rey smiled smugly at Ben.

‘See? Told ya!’

‘I’m impressed. Well done. I’m also impressed that you didn’t draw out the time that you worked on the problem in order to hike up the price. You do know this job pays minimum wage by the hour, right?’

‘Hey! I just fixed a super-yacht! That’s worth more than an hour’s pay!’

‘Are you suggesting you should receive the same wage as a skilled mechanic? Now now Rey, that seems a little… egotistical. You are at best a glorified handyman. I am happy to pay you for the hour, but that is all,’ he said with a wave of his hand.

‘Of all the low down cheap tricks! I want 100 dollars or I’ll fix your engine so it never works again Mr. Solo!’ Rey said taking a few steps towards him.

Ben’s warm eyes turned cold as he stood up and came towards her. ‘Are you threatening me, Rey? I don’t think you want to do that.’

Rey couldn’t believe she was arguing back, but she was sick of being taking advantage of and treated like dirt. She wasn’t going to take it anymore. Certainly not from some prissy little rich boy who by the look of his fingernails had never worked a day in his life!

She plonked her toolbox down on the deck. ‘I’m not leaving here without my money.’

‘And I will pay you for the hour,’ Ben replied.

‘Look richy rich, we both know you can afford it so just give me what I’m asking for and I’ll be on my way.’

Ben laughed, ‘Why on earth should I do that? You’re in no position to dictate to me.’

‘Give me my money or you’ll be sorry,’ Rey said in what she hoped was a threatening voice.

‘Very well,’ Ben said as Rey held her ground, but soon she realised what a mistake she had made. Ben picked her up as if she weighed nothing and threw her over the side of the boat. Rey screamed as she splashed into the cold water below and watched in horror as her tools went flying past her a couple of meters away and sank never to be seen again.

‘No one threatens me!’ came an angry voice from the deck.

‘You asshole!’ Rey shouted back as she treaded water, ‘I’ll have you arrested!’

‘I’ll have you arrested if you don’t get out of here!’ he bellowed back.

Rey dragged herself to shore and squealed in frustration. She took out her phone, but found it so waterlogged that it was un-usable. She heard the yacht start to pull away.

‘Hey!’ she shouted, waving her hands in the air, but no one noticed her.

Rey sat down on the ground and gritted her jaw in frustration.

‘Rey?’ She looked up to see the diner owner Leia walking her dog and peering at her questioningly. Rey burst into tears at the sight of a friendly face.

‘Oh honey!’ Leia said before coming up to Rey and putting an arm around her. ‘It can’t be that bad! Come on. You’re soaked through! Let’s get you home!’

Rey sobbed and nodded, allowing Leia to pull her up off the ground and lead her to her beat-up truck. Gary happily bounced into the front seat and Rey followed suit. On the way home, Rey laid out the entire story to Leia about being let go, the mounting bills, and of course the asshole who had thrown her off his boat.

Leia listened quietly until they arrived back at Rey’s house.

‘Seemed like life has really done a number on you, but there is at least something I can do to help. You can come work at the diner. I’m one waitress short.’

‘Leia, you don’t have to do that!’

‘I know I don’t. I want to do it. So do you want the job?’

‘Yes. Yes I really do. Thank you so much, Leia.’

‘Great! You can start tomorrow! And Han can give you some of his old tools. He has thousands of them, more than he could possibly use. Silly old hoarder that he is,’ Leia said with a roll of her crinkled eyes.

Rey felt like crying again at the generosity of her dear friend.

‘Leia, I…’ she started to try and explain how overwhelmed she was.

‘Hush now! You have to get inside, get dry, and go get those kids of yours!’

‘Oh god! Yes!’ Rey said suddenly realising she would have to get a move on if she didn’t want to be late. She jumped out of the car and ran towards the house.

‘Thank you, Leia! See you tomorrow!’ she shouted back as she sprinted inside.

**********

Benjamin Solo had all the money he could want, but he was lacking in every other area. His own butler Hux hated him and even his sister Phasma couldn’t stand to be around him.

Ben was not concerned with what others thought of him. The only opinion that mattered was his own. He preferred his own company, occasionally selecting women to spend a night or two with before cruelly casting them aside. He never considered the feelings of others, it was a waste of time.

That evening on the deck, he was congratulating himself on being so very self-aware that he didn’t need to concern himself with the thoughts of others - when the boat suddenly rocked quite violently. Ben managed to steady himself and began walking down the deck to shout at someone for the near-miss when the boat rocked again and Ben fell overboard into the water below, banging his head on the side of the boat as he fell. And as unconsciousness claimed him, he could have sworn he heard a woman’s laugh echoing in the night sky.

**********


	2. The Difficult Patient

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ben Solo has amnesia. Rey Proffitt knows who he is...but will she tell? Or will she use the situation to her own advantage? 
> 
> ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Two days later…..

The nurse turned her eyes skyward as she heard the button buzz again. She reluctantly headed for the room she had began to dread the sight of, 

‘Yes? What now?’ She asked with an exasperated tone. 

‘You expect me to eat this pig-swill?’ Ben exclaimed, gesturing to the tray balanced on his lap. 

By all means stick it where the sun doesn’t shine! The nurse wanted to scream, but settled on a sweet smile and a more professional response, 

‘Sir, I’m afraid this is the only food the hospital provides….’ 

‘I’d rather starve than put this fork in my mouth let alone these inedible morsels you’ve placed before me,’ He said with disgust. 

The nurse suppressed a sigh. 

‘I’m sorry that the food isn’t to your liking. Perhaps tomorrow’s menu will be more palatable to you.’ 

Ben scoffed, ‘I highly doubt it, and would it kill you to bring me an extra pillow? I feel like I’m sleeping on a bed of nails!’ 

‘Right away, Sir.’

‘And if you see my Doctor, please tell him I’m still waiting for an explanation for my memory loss and tell him I don’t want anymore of his theories, I want answers.’ 

The nurse warily left the room and exhaled deeply. She muttered under her breath as she headed back to the reception desk,

‘Tomorrow. Tomorrow will be the day that someone will claim your miserable behind, and I will buy a cake to celebrate!’ 

**********

The next morning, Phasma Snoke arrived in town by private jet. Hux had raised the alarm the morning after Ben’s accident, but Phasma had thought it wise to wait a while to see if Ben turned up before upsetting her bedridden father who was very gravely ill. 

Sirius Snoke’s only links to the outside world, were a private nurse and Phasma who has been helping to run her father's business in Ben’s absence.

Twenty four hours after his initial report, Hux informed Phasma that he believed Ben had been located and was currently a patient at a local hospital. Phasma informed her father of this, who insisted she went immediately to check on his progress and find out when he would be able to return to them. 

Phasma resented being sent to her brothers bedside. The two were not close, and Ben was keenly aware of how much Phasma resented him for being their fathers chosen successor. Phasma was the elder of the two, and the first adopted child of Sirius Snoke, she believed that by right the business should have passed into her capable hands. Instead, her father was choosing to risk everything he had built by handing it over to a reckless, egotistical man-child!

He didn’t even use the family name! Choosing instead to go by his birth name which he had only managed to discover by wasting their father's money on a string of mostly useless private detectives. 

Phasma grimaced as she exited the plane. Ben Solo didn’t deserve her father’s concern, yet here she was, against her will, playing the part of concerned family member in…where the hell was she anyway? Hicksville USA? What was Ben even doing out here in the first place? Surely he wasn’t interested in a tour of America’s top ten worst places to live?

Well, wasn’t much she could do about it now. She would just have to give Ben a stern talking to and drag him back home where he would regain his undeserved favourite child title. Sigh. 

‘Miss Phasma,’ Hux addressed her, as her heels clacked on the airport tarmac. 

‘Hux. Okay, let’s get this over with. Take me to him.’ 

‘Ahh, Miss Phasma? There is something I need to tell you before we set off.’ 

‘What?’ 

‘Ben is not injured badly and will make a full physical recovery, but…I believe he has amnesia.’ 

‘Amnesia?’ 

‘As you suggested, I’ve made some careful enquiries so as not to draw the mainstream media’s attention to this...delicate situation. I understand the hospital has contacted the local news channel and they plan to release a regional announcement tomorrow calling for information regarding Ben’s identity. So it would seem Mr Solo has no idea who he is.’ 

Phasma was silent for a moment as they walked to the waiting taxi. 

‘Does anyone else know about this?’ She asked.

‘No.’ 

‘Can you keep this information to yourself at least for now?’ 

‘I can,’ Hux readily agreed. 

They got into the taxi and Hux gave the hospital address to the driver. 

They rode in silence. Phasma deep in thought. 

She couldn’t…could she? What if she got found out? But who would tell? Hux would be easily persuaded and their father wasn’t long for this world...who else would care? Ben had no friends, no romantic interests, no one who would miss him. 

Phasma’s heart thudded in her chest as she hatched her plan, but she needed to make sure that there was nothing left connecting Ben to his old life first. 

At the hospital, they located Ben’s ward and were met by an overly-enthusiastic nurse. 

‘Here he is! Private room of course, he insisted on it,’ She announced as they arrived at Ben’s room. 

Phasma peered in through the glass opening. Ben was facing away from them looking out of the window. He appeared to be berating a happy bluejay who has chosen the wrong branch to perch on and sing his merry tune. 

‘And you’re sure he has absolutely no identification on him?’ 

‘Nope, nothing,’ The nurse answered as she frowned at Ben through the glass. 

‘I’m sorry but I’m afraid that man is not my brother,’ Phasma said with a deadpan tone. 

The nurses face fell. Phasma turned quickly on her heel and headed out of the hospital.

The nurse sighed deeply. Was she ever going to get rid of her most troublesome patient? 

**********

Phasma called Snoke as they headed back to the airport. 

‘I’m sorry Father. It was a dead end. Not him I’m afraid. We may have to accept the fact that he is gone, as upsetting as that reality is. Don’t worry, I’m coming home now. Yes, we can get through this difficult time...together,’ Phasma said with a slow smile.

She turned to Hux and placed a finger on her lips. Hux smiled at her and nodded slightly. 

Phasma hung up the phone.

‘Hux, can you please arrange for the yacht to be returned home? You can fly back with me now. I find myself in-need of a new personal assistant and thought perhaps you might like to fill the position?’ 

‘I would indeed like that, Miss Phasma. I would like that very much.’ 

**********

Rey wiped down the diner tables with a smile on her lips humming happily to herself. Sure working in a diner wasn’t her dream job, but it did come with the added perk of getting to see her best friend Rose who also worked there as a waitress, plus this was much better than having to explain to Star and Warren that having beans on toast every night for dinner was considered a delicacy in some cultures. 

‘You seem more cheerful today,’ Rose observed. 

‘I am. No point dwelling on the past is there? Nothing I can do about it now. He’s long gone and I just hope I never see him again!’ 

‘Well I hope I do see him again, then his face will be connecting with my fist,’ Rose said angrily. 

Rey stopped wiping and looked at her friend warmly, ‘Rose, I appreciate the sisterly solidarity but seriously that guy was huge! Your fist would probably connect with his stomach at best!’ 

‘Well nevertheless I’m sure I could cause him some serious…digestive damage!’ Rose retorted.

‘I’m sure you could, Rambo,’ Rey said with amusement. 

A news bulletin on the small tv in the corner of the diner caught Rey’s eye and she was shocked to see a grainy picture of the very man they had just been discussing!

‘Leia! Turn the TV up! That’s him! That’s the asshole who threw me overboard!’ She exclaimed pointing wildly at the screen. 

Leia looked up at the small TV set, ‘Well, looks like he is worse off than you now, poor thing.’ 

‘Poor thing my ass!’ Rey snorted.

Leia turned up the set and they listened as the news reported explained that the unidentified man had washed up on the shore and appeared to be suffering from amnesia. He was in a hospital recovering from a head injury one town over. The report wrapped up with a plea for anyone who might have some information on the man’s identity to come forward to the police as soon as possible. 

‘How could no one have claimed him?’ Rose asked, ‘They said they’ve been showing this report for a few days now. Didn’t you say he had a, a butler? A crew?’

‘Ha!!’ Rey said returning to her wiping, ‘I bet they don’t want him back!’ 

‘Oh, have a heart honey! You know what it’s like to be all alone in the world.’ Leia offered. 

‘Yeah you’re right, I do know what it’s like, Leia. And I think it will do him some good to experience life on this side of the fence.’ 

‘You will have to come forward Rey,’ Leia said more firmly, ‘You might be the only person who can confirm who he truly is.’ 

Rey let out a puff of air, ‘I know, I know. I’ll go first thing tomorrow,’ Rey said. 

Leia smiled at her and picked up some dirty dishes. 

Rose was quiet throughout their exchange and only came towards Rey once Leia had left the room. 

She chewed her lip, ‘We have an opportunity here, Rey. Bet an extra income wouldn’t be unwelcome to you right now would it?’ 

‘Of course not but how on earth could I take on another job?’ Rey asked. 

‘Not you silly. Your husband!’ Rose replied. 

‘Ha! Well yes that would be great. And where am I goina get me one of those?’ 

Rose gestured back to the tv where they were showing yet another picture of a bedraggled Benjamin Solo. 

Rey’s mouth fell open as she turned back to Rose,

‘You have got to be kidding me! I can’t do that! I can’t walk in there with a straight face and say he’s my husband! Despite the fact that it’s a crime, I hate the man!’ 

‘But you said it yourself, someone should teach him a lesson, and who better to do that than you!’ 

‘No. No. Way.’ 

Rose wasn’t listening, she began working out the logistics of her plan, 

‘I’m sure I could talk Finn into taking him on, especially as it would only be temporary.’

‘Rose, your husband has worked really hard building up his private cleaning business. I won’t let you jeopardise everything he has worked for.’ 

‘You let me worry about that! This is the answer to all yours problems! Don’t you see! We make that bastard work until he has paid the money he owes you and you have enough to replace your tools, then we can tell the truth and he can return to his life of luxury. Hell, by that point he will probably be so grateful to find out he is rich, he might even give us a reward!’ 

Rey presses her lips together. It was tempting. But could she live with Ben Solo?! And what would the sleeping arrangements be!

‘I know what you’re thinking, you know,’ Rose said with an arched eyebrow, ‘You don’t have to sleep with him Rey! Just make up some reason why the two of you sleep separately. He’s a blank slate! He’ll believe anything you tell him!’ 

Rey felt a nervous excitement start to bubble up inside her.

‘We’d need some photographic evidence and some official looking documentation,’ She said. 

‘Not a problem,’ Rose said with a wink, ‘You know I can do anything with a computer.’ 

‘Okay...and we’ll need some clothes…’

‘I’ll borrow some from Finn,’ Rose said with a smile. 

‘I’m just thinking out loud! I’m not saying I agree to this...this...hairbrained scheme!’ Rey exclaimed. 

‘Sure.’ Rose replied with amusement. 

**********

The next day Rey arrived at the hospital with a bag full of forged documents and a stomach full of knots. 

This is a bad idea. This is a bad idea. This is a bad idea...

‘Erh, Hi! I’m Rey. I’m here for my husband Ben…Ben Proffitt? I believe he is here, he has amnesia?’ 

Wow, lying about having a husband was a lot easier than she thought it would be.

The nurse’s mouth dropped open and her eyes sparkled with delight. She treated Rey to the beaming grin,

‘You’ve come to claim him?’ 

‘Yes I have. I have some…’

Rey started to reach for her bag to pull out the doctored photos and forms Rose had produced the night before, but the nurse had already gripped her hand and was pulling her along the corridor. They stopped at what Rey presumed was Ben’s room and the nurse burst into the room.

‘You’re going home! Your wife is here!’ 

She called out, moving out of the way to reveal Rey. Rey nervously waved at Ben. 

Ben ran his eyes over her from head to toe and then settled a cold gaze on her face.

‘There is absolutely no way I am married to that,’ He said and returned his eyes to the magazine in his lap. 

Asshole. Rey thought to herself and just like that all her guilty feelings about the situation dispersed and she fixed a sly smile on her face. 

‘Honey!’ She exclaimed walking towards his bed and slapping his thigh just a little bit harder than was necessary, ‘Do you really not remember me? Not even a teensy, tiny bit?’ 

‘I don’t remember you because I don’t know you,’ Ben replied not taking his eyes off the page in front of him. 

Rey reached into her bag and threw the photos onto the magazine. 

‘I suppose that’s a completely different handsome, tall, dark haired man who looks exactly like you, standing next to me in a tux at the altar then?’.

Ben glances at the wedding photos Rey had presented him with.

‘People can do anything with computers these days,’ He muttered, but Rey heard the inflection in his voice. He was rattled. She pushed her advantage. 

‘And marriage certificates? 'She said placing the document before him, ‘and passports too?’, She said producing it from her bag. 

She had to admit that Finn getting hold of the fake passport with only a few hours notice had been very impressive. She hadn’t asked too many questions. Mainly because she had been afraid to. 

Ben remained silent but his jaw went into overtime. 

Rey bit her lip and sat on the edge of Ben’s bed. She decided her best bet was to keep her nerve and not back down. 

‘Come on sweetheart. Try. Try to remember.’ 

Ben looked into her eyes and his expression softened. The word came out of his mouth as a breathy whisper, it seemed completely involuntary and Rey had to steady herself from falling off the bed from shock. 

‘Rey.’ 

He remembered her name! How? Maybe because it was one of his most recent memories? Or maybe because she had made more of an impression on him than she had realised? Whatever the reason it helped back up her story! 

Rey smiled, ‘That’s right! I’m Rey! Oh, honey! It’s coming back to you! I’m Rey Proffitt and you’re Ben Proffitt, my husband!’ 

Ben’s frown reappeared and he rubbed his forehead, ‘This has to be some kind of nightmare.’

‘I know, but the nightmare is over now darling, because I’m here to rescue you!’ She said opening her arms wide. The nurse clapped her hands with joy and Ben covered his eyes with one very large palm and let out a groan. 

‘Come on. Let’s go home...Sweetie Pie,’ Rey said with a smirk. 

**********


	3. Welcome Home!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rey takes Ben home and starts to wonder if it was a good idea to let him into her life....

‘This _can’t_ be where I live.’ Ben said as they arrived at Rey’s modest sized home.

 Rey knew the place needed work, but the rent was real low because she had an agreement with the landlord that she would keep quiet about the amount of repairs required.

 She rolled her eyes behind Ben’s back as they entered the house,

 ‘Honey, I told you, we’ve been down on our luck for a while that’s all. We’ll get a bigger place soon. Now that we’re both in work again, it will be easier to save…’

 ‘I barely fit in here!’ Ben said stretching out his arms and filling the tiny living room.

 Rey pressed her lips together to keep from laughing,

 ‘But baby, you always said this room was so cosy!’

 ‘Will you stop with the pet names, I’m nauseous enough from this décor.’

 Rey pouted, ‘You always loved it when I called you pet names! I hoped it might help trigger your memories.’

 Ben looked at her for a moment with the same soft expression from the hospital then rubbed his forehead.

‘Fine, although the more I learn the less I think I want to remember this life I had!’ Ben plonked himself down on the small couch and it groaned in response, ‘This couch certainly doesn’t seem to remember me!’

 This time a giggle escaped from Rey’s lips.

  _Uh oh_. This wasn’t good. _He’s the enemy Rey. Don’t forget._

She squeezed into the small amount of space left on the couch next to him.

 ‘Listen, I know this is hard for you, but I’m going to help you get through this. That’s how we do things around here. We do things together.’

 Instinctively, she reached out and clasped her hand around his. Their eyes met and Rey felt her stomach turn over. _Wow, those eyes were so deep._ She wondered what it would feel like to run her hand through his hair...

_Oh god_. Maybe it wasn’t such a good idea to bring this guy into her world. It had been awhile since she had even _thought_ about dating. Bringing Ben into her life right now, could be like introducing a rainstorm to a desert plain...

‘What the hell is this?’ Ben said standing up and breaking the spell.

 ‘What?’ Rey asked shaking her head a little.

 Ben appeared before her holding her favourite picture of Star and Warren.

 ‘Those are our children, Snookie Poo! Star is five and Warren is ten.’ She smiled up at Ben. All the colour had drained from his face.

 ‘I’m….I’m a father?’

 ‘Yes! We adopted them. I was an orphan so I always wanted to adopt.’ She said with a shrug.

 ‘Oh.’ Ben said staring at the picture, ‘Where are they?’

 ‘They’re at school, you’ll see them later. They are _so_ excited. They were super worried about you.  We all were.’

 ‘You were worried about me?’ Ben asked looking down at her with a sad expression. It was almost as if he couldn't believe that someone _would_ miss him. Rey felt her heart go out to him.

 ‘Of Course we were, we care about you.’

 ‘I...I want to see them.’ He said placing the frame back on the table.

 Yup. This was dangerous. For all of them. What on Earth was she doing? 

**********

‘Absolutely no way.’ Ben said stubbornly.

 Rey thought back to watching her tools sink around her in the ocean,

 ‘Look Ben, waitressing wasn’t my dream, just as cleaning wasn’t yours, but we do what we have to, to make ends meet.’

 ‘I am _not_ a maid.’

 ‘It’s private sanitation for professional businesses Ben, not washing some old ladies underwear!’

 There was that quirk of a smile again, but it disappeared as quickly as it had emerged.

 ‘I’m not saying you need to do it forever, I’m saying that for now this is where we’re at.’

 Ben nodded.

 Rey had to hand it to the guy, he seemed to be taking everything really well so far. Had she misjudged him? Was he a nice guy after all?

 ‘Rey? I must ask, did you throw those clothes on in the dark, or is this actually what passes for an outfit in your world?’ 

_Nope. Did not misjudge him. Massive Wanker. Let the reprogramming commence!_  

**********

Rey was very nervous picking up her children that day. She went over the plan several  times with them in the car as she drove them home.

‘So we all remember the plan, right? This is a fun game Mommy is playing. We have to pretend that Ben is your daddy just for a little while and he is going to stay and help us out for a while.’

 ‘Why is Ben staying with us mommy?’ Star asked.

 ‘I told you sweetie, because he wants to and because he wants to play families with us.’

 ‘I think it’s stupid.’ Warren said looking out of the window.

 ‘I know, but you remember those trainers you wanted?’

 Warren perked up and looked at Rey.

 ‘We should be able to get you those trainers with Ben around helping us make some extra money, so just play alone okay?’

 ‘Okay.’ Warren agreed.

 ‘So Ben is…?’

 ‘Ben is our daddy.’ The two children said in unison. 

_I’m going to hell_. Rey thought to herself guiltily. 

**********

When they arrived home Ben was standing in the kitchen nervously wiping his hands on the tracksuit bottoms the hospital had managed to find for him.

 Star, who always did have a flare for the theatrical, ran across the living room to the kitchen shouting ‘Daddy!’ Then wrapped her little arms around Ben’s calves, hugging them tightly to her tiny frame. Ben looked at Rey with such a panicked expression that she couldn’t help but laugh out loud.

 Warren was more subdued, simply waving and offering up a ‘Hi Dad,’ before retreating to the safely of his bedroom. Ben looked at Rey questioningly.

‘He’s hiding the pain, he missed you terribly but he wanted to be the man of the house while you were gone so he’s keeping his emotions inside,’ Rey put her hand over her heart and gazed up the stairs, ‘Our brave little soldier.’

 Meanwhile Star was still attached to Ben and was looking up at him with a goofy grin.

 ‘Daddy you’re so tall!’

 ‘Yes, I am tall.’

 ‘Will I be tall like you one day?’

 ‘Perhaps.’

 ‘Did you bump your head?’

 ‘Yes.’

 ‘Did it hurt?’

 ‘Yes.’

 ‘Are you alright now?’

 ‘Yes.’

 ‘And you’re going to be my daddy now?’

 ‘Yes, like I was before.’ Ben said suspiciously.

 ‘Oh yes, like you were before. I forgot.’

 ‘Hahahahahahaha, kids!’ Rey laughed nervously before pulling Star free of Ben’s legs.

 ‘Okay sweetie, why don’t you go play with your dolls in your room and I’ll shout you for dinner?’

 ‘Okay Mommy! Bye Daddy!’ Star said cheerfully and skipped up the stairs.

 Rey started opening cupboards and pulling out ingredients aware that Ben’s eyes were watching her every move.

 ‘What did Star mean?’

 ‘What?’ Rey asked as she started to chop up some carrots.

 ‘When she said ‘like you were before. I forgot.’

 ‘Oh, you know kids! They talk a load of nonsense! Last week she was convinced she was a starfish for three days. Oh, how we laughed!’

 ‘Mmmmm.’ Ben responded.

 Rey tried to change the subject.

 ‘I thought maybe I would try to cook tonight dear, give you a night off, after all you’ve been through, but it would be great if you could get back to preparing the meals tomorrow.’

 ‘I usually cook?’ Ben asked incredulously.

 ‘Yes! You love to cook! You insist on cooking all the meals and making all of the packed lunches.’

 ‘I do?’

 ‘Yup.’ Rey said with a sweet smile as she scraped the carrots off the chopping board into a pot.

 ‘I don’t know what we’d do without you.’ She lied. 

Rey prayed that Warren wouldn’t go off the rails when she was sent to prison for fraud. 

**********

After dinner, Rey helped the kids with their homework, bathed them and tucked them. Ben was washing the dishes over the tiny sink when she came downstairs. He was right, he was far too big for the tiny house. She suppressed a smile.

‘Star has a lot to say for someone so small.’ Ben said in a serious tone which had Rey once again holding in her amusement.

‘Yes she’s always been a chatterbox that one!’ Rey said as she plumped the couch cushions.

Ben placed a dish on the drainer.

‘Warren seems quite sullen.’

‘Warren is a typical pre-teenaged boy. Stuck somewhere between playing with his action men and noticing girls. Can you blame him for being in a constant mood? Don’t you remember what it was like…oh god. I’m sorry.’ Rey put her hand over her mouth as soon as she realised her mistake. 

Ben shrugged, ‘It’s okay.’ 

‘How about a drink?’ Rey asked, moving to the kitchen and pulling out a bottle of whiskey she had stashed away. 

‘Sounds good.’ Ben’s said drying his hands and grabbing them two glasses.

Rey poured and handed one of the glasses to Ben before picking one up herself.

‘To me and you.’ Ben said to Rey’s surprise, ‘And to rediscovering our relationship.’ He said clinking his glass against hers before taking a sip.

Rey didn’t have to look in a mirror to know her face was bright red. She sipped her drink and made a move for the living room. 

They sat on the couch drinking in silence for a few moments, exchanging awkward smiles. 

‘So...where do we sleep?’ Ben asked, his dark eyes focused on her. 

Rey nearly choked on her drink.

_Forward much? I don’t think so mister!_

_‘'_ I sleep in the bedroom upstairs, but you always sleep on the floor down here on account of your back problem.’

‘What?’

‘You have a back problem that makes it impossible for you to sleep on soft surfaces. So you sleep on the floor.’

‘That can’t be true….’

‘Don’t you remember at the hospital? The nurse told me you found the bed impossibly hard no matter how many pillows she provided you with? That’s because of your back problem, baby. You need a hard surface. 

_I can’t believe he is buying this!_  

‘Okay…’ 

‘I’ll get the sheets and your pillows.’ She said jumping up, grateful to have a distraction from the images that Ben’s question has conjured up in her head.

Rey laid out a bed on the floor for Ben.

‘Can I shower first please?’ Ben asked.

‘Of course. You know where the bathroom is.’ Rey said sweetly.

While he was gone, Rey considered mentioning there was a blow up mattress in the shed out back, then remembered how Ben had thrown her off the boat with no regard for her safety whatsoever, and decided to keep the information to herself. For now at least. 

When Ben returned, he was wearing nothing but a pair of loose fitting shorts, he must have found in the bedroom where she had stashed the clothes Finn had gave her. Rey tried not to stare at his toned physique. The boy may not have done a days manual work in his life, but he obviously wasn’t a stranger to the gym! Rey turned away from him and fanned her face as he climbed under the covers. 

She turned back to see Ben observing her with interest. 

‘Well, night then!’ She said overly cheerfully. 

‘Night.’ He replied as she walked away. 

‘Rey?’ 

She stopped and turned her head, ‘Yes?’ 

‘I think I remember our wedding day.’

Rey blinked hard, ‘You do?’ She asked, as her heart hammered in her chest. 

‘I think so. I had a very vivid image of me carrying you...I assume it was when I carried you over the threshold.’ 

Rey pressed her lips together then replied, ‘Must be. That’s good! It’s good that you are remembering!’

_As long as you don’t remember anything else…._

‘Goodnight Rey.’

‘Goodnight Ben.’ 

********** 

Rey slept badly that evening, guilt gnawed at her and Ben was so big every move he made downstairs made her jump. 

Ben had rattled her when he had admitted to remembering their wedding day. Part of her had panicked that he was going to discover the truth and the other part of her has been insanely jealous that he might have been remembering his actual wedding day with someone else, even though that would have been ridiculous as the thorough background check Rose had performed on Ben proved he had no spouse. 

Rey put a pillow over her face. This guy was turning her into a crazy person! This was a very bad idea. 

The next morning, she awoke bleary eyed to the sound of Ben banging all the kitchen cupboards and moaning loudly about the lack of basic food staples. 

Grumpy from the lack of sleep, Rey started to wonder why she was subjecting herself to this torture and how it was supposed to benefit her, when she heard a truck ‘toot’ outside and realised it was Finn come to take her newly acquired husband away for a day of hard manual labour and her mood improved instantly. 

She bounded downstairs and tried not to laugh at the sight of Ben in one of Finns oversized football jerseys pouring cheerio's into bowls for Warren and Star, and grumbling about how he would kill for a poppy seed bagel, then complaining about why he cant remember his name but he can remember poppy seed bagels. 

‘How did you sleep?’ She asked.

‘Terrible and my back feels worse than ever.’ He grumbled. 

‘You’ll get used to it,’ Rey said smirking as she poured herself a cup of coffee.

The horn tooted again outside.

‘Finn’s here to collect you.’

‘What? It’s 7am!’

‘Gotta get started early so you can collect the kids after school.’

‘I’m collecting them?!’

‘You have to baby, I have a double shift at the diner.’ Rey tried to make her face look as apologetic as possible.

‘Okay.’ Ben said running a hand through his hair.

She would have to try and make him do _that_ again. Was it okay to ogle your fake husband? Probably best not to think about it too much…

‘Right I’m apparently leaving then.’ Ben said.

‘Okay, bye sweetheart!’ Rey said and was surprised when Ben came towards her, then watched him awkwardly hesitate before gently planting a kiss on her cheek.

Rey watched him leave with her mouth wide open. When she looked back at Star and Warren they were both smirking at her. 

She closed her mouth. 

‘Shut up you two.’ 

‘We didn’t say anything!’ Warren protested. 

‘Yeah, well keep it that way.’ She said as her cheeks started to glow. 

Star and Warren looked at each other and giggled. 

Rey closed her eyes and rubbed her forehead. What had she gotten herself into?

**********


	4. New Beginings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ben tries to adjust to his new/old life and Rey tries to adjust to her feelings for Ben....

_Okay you can do this...small talk… smallllll talk. Easy._

 

‘So...Rey tells me that we go to games together sometimes?’ Ben enquired.

 

‘Uhh yeah. Sometimes.’ Finn replied.

 

_Okay. I’ve exhausted that topic..._

‘So, how long have you had the cleaning business?’

 

Finn puffed out his chest as he drove and a proud smile appeared on his face.

 

‘Three years. It’s our ticket to a better life, for Rose and me.’

 

Ben nodded.

 

‘We want to start a family. Like you and Rey.’ He said keeping his eyes on the road.

 

‘Yes. Of course.’ Ben replied.

 

‘So...how's it all going?’ Finn asked.

 

‘It’s going...okay. It’s all very strange. Somethings are familiar, but most of it’s just all a big...blank.’

 

‘That makes sense. It’ll take time. Rey will help you. She’s a sweet girl.’

 

For some reason Ben found that he didn’t like it when Finn talked about Rey in that way. Rey was his girl. He knew that for sure. After spending a night in her company, he had found himself constantly following her with his eyes, wondering how he could have forgotten the feel of her hair, the smell of her perfume, or how she looked naked. He was keen to rediscover all of those memories...especially the last one.

 

‘Yes well, the doctor said to just go back to my old life and my memory should just snap back. They were positive it was the best solution, in fact they couldn’t sign my discharge papers quick enough.’

 

Finn snorted.

 

‘What?’

 

‘Sorry, just a frog in my throat,’ He said, ‘Here we are!’

 

They exited the car at what looked like a factory building.

 

‘It's a manufacturing plant,’ Finn explained, ‘Right, let’s get to work!’ Finn said.

 

Once they were inside, Finn located the cleaning supplies and taught Ben how to mop correctly. Apparently, it was something that a lot of people did wrong. There was only one right way to mop a floor according to Finn. Ben couldn’t care less, but he listened all the same and copied Finn’s actions.

 

‘You got it right first time, that’s impressive.’ Finn said nodding his head.

 

After the first job, came another job, then another, then another. Along the way a few other members of Finn’s crew came and went, helping Finn and Ben with larger jobs, before moving on to other contracts. Ben was impressed how Finn had managed to tap every business in town for work and seemed to provide a multitude of cleaning and disposing services in order to do so.

 

It was exhausting work, and by the end of the day Ben felt tired but also strangely satisfied. Was this how he always felt after work? He had no idea.

 

Finn dropped him off at the school gates and for a moment he panicked that he didn’t know the way home, but of course Warren would know wouldn’t he? How frustrating it was having to rely on a ten year old boy for guidance. Ben hoped his memory would return soon.

 

Standing on the school yard waiting for Star and Warren, Ben felt very conspicuous. No one spoke to him directly, but he saw a lot of mothers glance in his direction as they giggled and whispered to each other. What was their problem? Surely this wasn’t the first time he had picked his children up from school? Surely dads did this, too didn’t they? He looked around for some male companions but saw only a sea of female eyes all aimed at him.

 

His anxiety was lifted slightly by the sight of Star’s beaming smile as she launched herself towards him. Warren followed not far behind with a smile tugging up one side of his mouth.

 

As they walked back to the house, Star slipped her hand into Ben’s and skipped merrily as she gave Ben a run down of her entire day. He had to admit, the constant stream of consciousness that poured from her tiny mouth was rather endearing, and a welcome distraction from the emptiness in his own mind. Warren was leading the way home.

 

‘Will you be picking us up everyday, dad?’ Warren asked.

 

‘Um, I don’t know. I’ll have to talk to your Mom about it, why?’

 

‘I like it when you pick us up. My friends think you’re some sort of secret agent.’

 

Ben smirked, ‘Maybe I am...maybe the cleaning job is just a cover.’

 

Warren smiled then looked at Ben with a suspicious expression and Ben cocked an eyebrow at him.

 

‘I like it when you pick us up too, Dad,’ Star said with a soft smile.

 

_Maybe this parenting thing isn’t so bad._ Ben thought to himself.

 

**********

‘They’re fine Rey, he picked them up, they walked home, everything is fine.’

 

Rey held her mobile to her ear shifting nervously from foot to foot at the backdoor of the diner.

 

‘Maybe you should just turn up at the house unannounced Rose, make sure he isn’t letting them eat candy for dinner or play with sharp objects.’

 

‘Rey, everything is fine. He’s a responsible adult. We did a full background check on him, remember? Not so much as a parking ticket, not much of a life outside of the office, but that’s not really our business.’

 

‘Okay,’ Rey said taking a deep breath.

 

‘Why don’t I come finish your shift for you and you can go home and check on them?’

 

‘Have I told you lately that you’re the love of my life?’

 

‘I know, I love you too. I’ll be there in twenty minutes.’

 

**********

An hour later, Rey was home and greeted to the sight of both her children sitting at the kitchen table with full plates of what certainly didn’t look like microwave meals in front of them.

 

‘You cooked?’ She asked as she shrugged off her coat.

 

‘Yes, I don’t understand why you seem surprised, you told me I cook all the time.’

 

‘Of course, Yes you do, of course. I think I just assumed you would be too tired after a full day of work.’

 

‘It was gruelling, but I’m in better shape than most of Finn’s crew,’ He said with a shrug.

 

Rey sat down at the table. Star and Warren were already eating. Ben filled her plate and placed it before her, then took his own place at the table.

 

‘Star is eating her vegetables,’ Rey observed.

 

‘Yes,’ Ben confirmed.

 

‘Star _never_ eats her vegetables,’ Rey said.

 

‘Star will eat them from now on won’t you?’ Ben said to Star with a wink, and the little girl nodded eagerly shovelling more broccoli into her mouth.

 

‘How many My Little Ponies did you promise her?’ Rey asked.

 

‘We’ve just had a little talk, and Star knows if she wants to be big and strong like daddy she has to eat her vegetables,’ Ben said smiling at Star.

 

Rey’s heart skipped a beat _._

_Marry him._

_‘_ Shut up brain!’ Rey hissed.

 

‘What was that?’

 

‘Nothing! Nothing. So Warren, how was school?’

 

‘Fine.’ Warren replied.

 

‘Just fine?’

 

‘Yes,’ Warren said clearly irritated.

 

Rey took a bite of her meal. It was delicious.

 

‘This is really good.’ She said to Ben.

 

‘Thank you. I found some cook books in the cupboard and managed to throw something together. Cooking is actually a lot easier than I thought it would be and I appear to enjoy it.’

 

‘That has never been the case for me.’

 

‘Yeah, Mom could burn juice!’ Warren quipped and Rey pretended to be offended.

 

‘Remember when you made that pie from those berries you found and thank goodness you left it in too long and it was inedible because we found out later the berries were poisonous?’ Warren said.

 

‘I’m starting to understand why I do all the cooking.’ Ben said with a smile.

 

He smiled! An actual smile! Thank goodness her mouth was full and she had an excuse for not responding because her brain was having trouble forming coherent thoughts.

 

‘Weren’t you on a double shift at work?’ Ben asked.

 

‘I was, they let me go early.’

 

‘Checking up on me are you?’ Ben asked and Rey flushed.

 

‘Maybe just a little.’ She said with a sheepish grin.

 

‘I love your smile.’ Ben said casually.

 

‘Really?’ Rey replied.

 

‘Yes, but that can’t be the first time I’ve told you that.’

 

‘Oh no! Of course not! You used to say that all the time... but I still love hearing it.’

 

Rey pushes her food around her plate as her heart thudded in her chest.

 

‘What do you like about me?’

 

‘What?’ Rey asked, startled.

 

‘What first attracted you to me?’ Ben clarified taking a bite of his food.

 

Rey stammered, ‘Ahhh, everything! I mean look at you!’ She gestured towards him with her hands.

 

‘That’s quite a vague statement.’

 

Rey bit her lip, ‘Your eyes.’

 

‘My eyes?’

 

‘You have very deep eyes, they can be… surprisingly gentle when you let your guard down.’

 

They looked at each other, then remembered they had an audience.

 

‘Alright you two, finish up and then it’s bath time.’ Rey announced.

 

**********

After Rey had put the kids to bed she lingered upstairs. How had the dynamic between them change so much so quickly? She hated him...right? But now here he was cooking for her kids and melting her heart. Was it all an act? But how could it be an act? Ben didn’t know who he was. Could it be that Ben had been a victim of his upbringing? He had seemed surprised when she had told him they cared about him. Maybe Ben has never known real affection. That made her feel awful.

 

‘Penny for your thoughts?’ Ben said popping his head around the bedroom door, making her jump.

 

How has he gotten up the stairs without her hearing? The man was the size of a tank for goodness sake.

 

‘I don’t think they are worth a penny.’ She replied.

 

‘I do,’ Ben said sitting down on the bed next to her, ‘I’d pay anything to get my memories back.’

 

‘I’m sorry Ben, that was insensitive…’

 

‘No, it’s fine. Really. So why are you sitting up here? Are you avoiding me?’

 

Wow. Ben really seemed to have no filter. Maybe it was a side effect of the memory loss.

 

‘No! I just...needed a minute.’

 

‘I understand. Do you want me to go?’

 

‘No.’

 

They sat in silence for a few moments.

 

‘Do you remember anything?’ Rey asked.

 

‘Bits and pieces. Mainly just feelings, tastes, sounds, sometimes I remember fragments of tv shows or books I’ve read. It’s like there is this thick fog, and I can’t see through it fully, but sometimes I can catch glimpses of what’s behind.’

 

Rey felt a lump in her throat. She filtered through the information she remembered from the background check they had run on Ben.

 

‘You were adopted at a young age, you don’t  remember your real parents. Your adopted father was...quite hard on you and your relationship with him is strained at best. You’ve always been very smart, always did well at school, maybe if you weren’t lumbered with me you’d be the head of a big corporation by now,’ She chuckled nervously.

 

‘I wouldn’t say lumbered...so I was adopted too,’ Ben looked thoughtful, ‘Tell me about you.’

 

‘What do you want to know?’

 

‘Everything.’

 

‘That could take a while!’

 

‘I don’t have anywhere to be.’ Ben said leaning back on the bed, propped up on one arm.

 

‘Okay,  we haven’t lived here very long. Until recently I worked in the city, but I was unfortunately made redundant. Leia kindly offered me a job at the diner and I also do odd jobs for people around town.’

 

‘Odd jobs?’

 

‘Erh, Yes. I’m sort of a handyman on the side.’

 

‘Interesting.’

 

‘Anyway, that’s about all there is to say really.’ She said with a self-conscious shrug.

 

‘There’s got to be more to you than that. Did you go to school?’

 

‘No. College’s cost money.’

 

‘What about your love life?’

 

Rey stiffened, ‘What?’

 

‘How many boyfriends did you have before we got together? And come to think of it when did _we_ get together?’

 

_Oh god_. Ben had so many questions, naturally, but she couldn’t fill in all his memories with lies.

 

‘We weren’t together too long before we got married actually, you could say it was a bit of a whirlwind romance! Prior to us getting together I had…a few boyfriends.’

 

‘And were you… intimate with them before we met?’

 

Rey blushed. Ben was looking at her intently. This was important to him. Could it be that he was… jealous? She almost laughed out loud at the thought.

 

Ben pressed her for an answer, ‘Were you a virgin when we met?’

 

Erh, No.’

 

‘So I didn’t have that privilege then.’ Ben said.

 

Privilege? He thought it was a privilege? _Woah_. Maybe he really was developing feelings for her…

 

Sure he _is idiot! You told him you are married! He thinks he should be in love with you! You’re forcing him into this! You’ve giving him no other choice!_

‘I wish I could remember...us.’ He said looking up at her with gentle, unguarded eyes.

 

‘Me too,’ She replied instinctively, ‘I mean I wish you could remember us, too.’

 

Okay it was time to admit to herself that she liked Ben, and that made all of this even more complicated. Particularly while they both lay in bed staring at each other, and… when had they moved so close to each other?

 

Rey’s heart sped up, Ben’s eyes focused on her mouth. He reached out with his hand, cupped her chin, and ran his thumb along her bottom lip, before inching closer to her.

 

This was it...they were about to cross a line, _oh_ _god_ , was this a mistake? Did Ben really care about her or was he just an innocent victim of Stockholm syndrome?

 

_Oh do shut up brain!_

‘Mommy?’

 

Rey’s eyes snapped to the doorway where a very sleepy Star was rubbing her eyes and pouting.

 

Rey sat up reluctantly, ‘What’s wrong Princess?’ She asked.

 

‘Mommy, I can’t sleep. My bed tried to eat me.’

 

‘Maybe you just had your blanket over your head again darling, come on, let’s get you tucked in properly.’

 

Rey tucked Star back into the bottom bunk careful not to wake Warren. She secured her duvet so it wouldn’t try to eat her again.

 

‘Mommy, I thought Daddy slept downstairs?’

 

‘He does Baby.’

 

‘But he was in bed with you.’

 

‘We were just...talking. Now go to sleep, honey.’

 

‘Night night, Mommy.’

 

‘Night, night my little darling.’

 

Rey left Star’s room and and squeaked as she came face to chest with Ben.

 

‘Sorry.’ She mumbled moving away.

 

‘Is she okay?’

 

‘Yes she’s fine.’

 

‘It’s getting late, I better hit the hay. Goodnight Rey.’

 

‘Goodnight Ben.’

 

_Ask him. Ask him. Ask him._

_‘_ Erh, Ben?’

 

‘Yeah?’

 

‘You could sleep with me… _beside me_...on the bed if you wanted to.’

 

‘I would like that. Thank you.’

 

Rey nodded and gave him a nervous smile. She went back into the bedroom and collect her bedclothes. Moving past Ben, she went into the bathroom and locked the door. She changed slowly, giving her heart time to calm down before she re-emerged and took a deep breath at the sight of Ben climbing into bed wearing nothing but shorts again.

 

How was she meant to sleep next to _that_ and not have anything happen? But didn’t she want something to happen? Isn’t that why she had asked him to sleep in the bed with her in the first place?

_So complicated…_

 

No, she had just wanted to be nice to him, now that they were getting along and... _seriously now you’re lying to yourself Rey? Wow. You are a basket case._

Rey slid carefully into bed next to Ben. He took up a lot of space. She closed her eyes and heard her heartbeat thumping in her ears. She let out a sigh.

 

‘Are you okay?’ Ben asked, turning to face her.

 

‘Yes, sorry. Just a bit unsettled tonight...maybe I’m cold.’ She lied.

 

‘Oh, I can help there, turn around.’

 

Rey turned away from Ben and he scooped her up with one arm and pulled her towards his chest. He wasn’t lying. He was like a furnace against her back.

 

‘Is that better?’ He asked.

 

‘Yes.’ And this time she wasn’t lying, because it was. Ben was strong and warm and there for her. Didn’t she deserve that? After all the let downs, all the setbacks, all the struggling to make ends meet, didn’t she deserve to have someone to lean on?

 

So even though her mind told her it was wrong, Rey closed her eyes and leaned back against Ben. She revelled in the feel of his arm tight around her, and she accepted the kiss he placed on her cheek before she fell into a deep, content sleep.

**********


	5. A Memorable Date

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The guilt of lying to Ben becomes too much for Rey and she resolves to tell him the truth...
> 
> **********

A few week passed, weeks where life ticked over, Ben went to work, picked up the kids when she asked him to, cooked them all delicious meals and asked her questions. So many questions, about herself, about their children, about their life together. The last one she tried to avoid as much as possible, but she told him so many things about herself and the children. Secrets about herself, she has never told anyone before came tumbling over late night glasses of wine. Maybe it was easier to talk to Ben because she knew it was all temporary and Ben would eventually leave, or maybe that was just something she told herself late at night as she watched him sleep.

They slept in the same bed together every night now, often cuddled against each other, but Ben never made a move on her and she never made a move on him, though some nights it was almost unbearable not to.

She found that she enjoyed spending time with Ben, but also that she hated lying to him. She hated herself for it. This wasn’t the person she wanted to be. She had enough money to replace her tools now, it really was time to let him go. 

One difficult day, the guilt of all she had forced upon Ben became too much, and she decided it was time to tell him the truth.

_You can’t keep him. You can’t keep him_. _You can’t keep him_.

She reminded herself over and over as she arrived home, making sure she didn’t chicken out.

_Tonight is the night you tell him the truth_.

She reprimanded herself as she walked into the house they shared.

‘Hey baby, how was your day?’ Ben said wiping sweat from his brow with one large forearm as he removed what smelt like an amazing homemade lasagne from the oven.

Ben has started to refer to her using pet names recently, and she hated to admit to herself how much she loved to hear him say them. The sense of belonging the terms of endearment conjured up in her heart was intoxicating.

At the sight of him standing there a slight sheen of sweat glistening on his skin, his hair slightly curled from the heat of the oven, her knees almost buckled and her mind changed tact.

_On second thoughts, no way. No way are we ever giving him up!_

_Stupid traitorous brain_ …..or was that voice coming from her heart instead?

Rey pushed the thought away and swallowed hard.

‘There’s something I need to tell you…’ she began.

‘Sounds serious’ Ben replied with an amused tone and a quirk of his eyebrow, ‘Can it wait until after dinner?’

‘No. It can’t.’ Rey said steadying her resolve.

‘Okay….’ Ben turned around and pulled a large bowl of chocolate mousse from the fridge.

‘Well at-least have a little taste of this first. I made it from scratch.’

Ben put his finger into the bowl and scooped some of the desert onto it. He held it out towards Rey. Rey looks into Ben’s eyes then looked at his outstretched finger. She reached forward slightly and wrapped her lips around his fingertip tasting the delicious treat he was offering her. She pulled away slowly, sucking him gently as she swirled her tongue around in her mouth, watching with delight as Ben’s adam’s apple bobbed violently in response. Rey realised as her body flooded with heated desire, that she wanted so much more than a taste of Ben. She wanted all of him. She couldn’t let him go. Not yet.

_Coward_. She scolded herself.

‘So what is it that you wanted to confess?’ Ben asked in a low voice as he rubbed the finger she had just attended to.

‘I forgot our anniversary.’ Rey replied. ‘It’s today. Erh, Happy Anniversary!’

Ben looked surprised, then smiled, ‘Then we have to go out and celebrate!’

**********

After securing Finn and Rose to babysit, Rey and Ben headed out to a local bar.

Rey tried to remember a time she had laughed so hard, as Ben spun her around again and again on the little dance floor as a local band played country music hits to entertain the crowd.

All the regulars watched them in amusement commenting to each other how in love they seemed.

Glowing inside and out, Rey let Ben lead her to a small table near the dance floor.

‘You’re a good dancer.’ Ben shouted over the music as he sat down.

‘So are you!’ Rey shouted back although he had stepped on her feet a few times.

_blind to his flaws huh? Yet another sign you are falling in…_

‘Shall we get some drinks?’ Rey asked, trying to catch the waitresses eye and cut off her inner monologue.

‘Let’s get a bottle of champagne and some glasses and take it outside,’ Ben said pointing to the door leading out to a patio overlooking the sea.

Once they had acquired the necessary items, Rey and Ben ventured out into the cool night air. With Bens arm draped across her shoulders and a breath-taking view of the full moon floating above a calm, tranquil sea, Rey felt bitter sweet contentment. The days spent with Ben had been some of the happiest of her life, but it was wrong to keep pretending. She had to let him go. Soon. But after everything she had gone through, she decided she deserved to have one perfect night and the more champagne she drank, the more her resolve strengthened.

Ben looked out over the sea, sipping his drink. In the soft moonlight, his face looked relaxed and calm. Has Ben been calm in his old life? She remembered his cold icy glare. It had been many days since that look had re-emerged.

_You’re reaching for excuses Rey… looking for a reason to keep him with you when you know this is wrong. Even if he seems happy with you, you can’t build a life on a fictional foundation..._  

‘Do you know the story of Revan and Bastila?’ Rey asked, distracting her mind.

Ben gave her a condescending look and Rey laughed.

‘Okay, Point taken! Bastila was a queen and Revan was a slave. The legend goes, that Revan worked for Bastila in her palace but they both hated each other deeply. One day, Revan stole a loaf of bread from Bastila’s table, but he was caught and Bastila sentenced him to death for the crime, but before his sentence could be carried out, the queen was overthrown by an invading army, and in the chaos of the battle that ensued, it was _Revan_ who rescued Bastila and got her out of the palace to safety.

There are a few different versions of what happened next but the version I like best goes like this. They stayed together for protection at first, but after getting to know each other, and gaining a better understanding of each other’s differences, they fell in love.’

‘That’s beautiful,’ Ben said.

‘I always thought so...but I’m afraid the ending is quite tragic. During a sea voyage, Bastila fell overboard and Revan heroically dived in after her. Neither one was seen even again and it’s said from that day forward, whenever you see the waves crashing against the shore, it’s Bastila and Revan...coming together once more.’

Rey blushed as she tried to gloss over the fact that it was widely thought the crashing waves in the story’s conclusion represented Bastila and Revan making love.

Rey looked up at Ben in the moonlight. If there was ever going to be a time that she was going to make a move, this was it. The perfect romantic setting for a first kiss. Only Ben didn’t know it was a first kiss did he? Ben thought this was the thousandth kiss. Why did all this have to be so complicated?

‘Ben?’

‘Yes?’

‘Can we pretend for just one night, that we aren’t married? That we’re just...strangers, meeting for the first time, who don’t know anything about each other and just let...just let...instinct guide us?’

‘You want me to let _instinct_ guide me?’ Ben asked.

‘Yes.’ Rey replied.

Then Ben kissed her, and Rey almost forgot her own name.

**********


	6. The tangled webs we weave...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rey tries to come to terms with her feelings for Ben and a shock discovery threatens to end her game of happy families once and for all. 
> 
> **********

The kiss was better than anything her mind had conjured up previously. It was as if Ben has been _made_ for her. He seemed to know exactly what she wanted from him without her having to utter a word. His hands roamed her body, as his tongue entered her mouth. Rey felt as if she might burst from the heat collecting in the pool of her stomach and lower. Ben was the first to pull away, he looked down at her, panting hard, his lips swollen from the contact,

‘I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have done that. I mean…’

‘It’s okay Ben.’ Rey said gently putting her hand around his arm.

‘It’s not though is it? None of this is okay.’ He said, turning to look out over the sea once more.

‘I don’t know who I am Rey. I don’t remember any of this…I wouldn’t even believe that this was my life if it wasn’t for…’ He trailed off.

‘If it wasn’t for what?’ She pressed, squeezing his arm gently.

‘If it wasn’t for you. If it wasn’t for the fact that when I’m with you I feel...calm, I feel at ease, I feel... home.’

Rey didn’t need to hear anything else. She took his cheek in her hand turning his face gently until he was looking at her once more.

‘Maybe that’s all you need to know, right now.’ She whispered gently before pressing her lips against his once more.

**********

They drove home in silence, both deep in thought, their heads clouded by a champagne fuelled lusty fog. They sneaked glances at each other as they drove and laughed awkwardly when they caught each other looking. In short they acted like two people…

_Don’t think it. It will only make things harder when he leaves…_

When they arrived back at the house, Rose took one look at Rey’s flushed face and made a quick exit pulling a confused Finn behind her. Rey felt Ben’s eyes on her as she removed her coat and shoes, and hung up her bag. 

‘It’s late, we should head up.’ She said, feeling a sense of anticipation hanging in the air.

Ben merely nodded and followed her up to the bedroom.

The walk to the second floor seemed longer that night. Rey was conflicted. On one hand she wanted him so very badly, and on the other, she knew that she would regret all the deceit that had led up to them being together.

They entered the bedroom and Rey turned to Ben.

‘Ben, what if this wasn’t your life?’

‘What?’

‘What if you could have a different one? What if you could be rich and want for nothing but the catch was you had to give up me and the kids. Would you want it? Would you want that life?’

‘I...I don’t know...I just want to remember who I am. I thought if I went along with all this, if I ignored the doubts then maybe it would all come back, but it hasn’t. You don’t understand how this feels Rey, it’s like endless night in my mind. I see nothing but blackness...and then I see you. Rey, you’re my light in the dark.’

Ben sat on the edge of the bed and held out his hands, Rey moved to stand between his legs, putting her small hands within his.

‘Everything seems strange and there’s this voice in my head telling me that things are not right…’ Ben continued.

Rey winced as guilt consumed her.

‘The voice is not mine...that I’m sure of, it’s older, angry. It demands of me, but I don’t know what it wants, I can’t make out the words...yet. Maybe I will in time, but it hurts. It hurts to try and make out the words. So whenever I heard the voice, I thought of you. I thought of your smile, I thought of you dancing with Star, I thought of you chewing a pencil as you helped Warren with his homework and...it helped. So I thought about you more, and I found I liked thinking about you, and now, well, now I like thinking about you all the time, actually. So, although I had my doubts that this life was mine, and I still wonder about the strange voice. I believe that I belong here because I believe I truly belong wherever you are.’

Ben rubbed her hands gently with his thumbs as he spoke to her.

Rey swallowed hard fighting back tears. It was the most lovely thing anyone had ever said to her. All she wanted to do was jump forward into his lap and kiss him senseless, but she couldn’t do it. It was wrong. She was lying to him. This wasn’t the life she wanted with Ben...but would Ben still want a life with her when she told him the truth?

Ben ran a hand through his hair, ‘I’m suddenly feeling very tired.’ He said wearily.

Rey smiled down at him, ‘I’m sure you are, let’s get some rest. We can talk in the morning.’

Ben nodded as she leaned down and kissed his forehead.

Later, as she lay within Ben’s strong embrace listening to his rhythmic breathing while he slept, she let her tears fall. Tomorrow, she would tell him everything and let the chips fall where they lay.

And if he choose to leave, she would just have to learn to live with it, though she suspected her heart might never recover.

**********

The next morning Rey woke to Ben stroking her hair gently.

‘We have to get up.’ He said, ‘it’s the camping trip this weekend.’

‘Oh!’ Rey said jumping up. In all the excitement from the previous night, she had completely forgotten that this was the weekend they were all going up to the lake to camp out with Finn and Rose!

Rey jumped out of bed and tied her hair back into a bun. Okay, the truth could wait. She couldn’t spoil the camping trip for the kids. They had been looking forward to it for weeks and they were even more excited to be going with Ben. The kids would keep them busy anyway so there wouldn’t be anymore awkward intimate moments between them.

The next hour was a blur of packing and dressing and eating and shouting for Star and Warren to hurry up or they would get left behind.

Ben grabbed the keys to Rey’s newly fixed car and headed outside with the tent and the barbecue. Her car had needed parts for months but thanks to the extra income provided by Ben, Rey had managed to get it running again.

She started to feel excited about the trip as she cleaned up the kitchen. She could tell Ben when they got home. A few days delay wouldn’t make too much difference.  

Rey was coming out of the house with their bags when she saw Ben coming towards her with a stern expression on his face. Her heart dropped in her chest.

Her first thought was. _He knows_.

‘You want to tell me who these belong to?’ Ben asked holding out a pair of men’s underwear.

Rey frowned, the last thing she had been expecting was an inquisition about mystery pants.

‘I don’t know. Why on earth would I know? Where did you get those?’

‘Don’t lie to me Rey.’

‘I’m not! I don’t know what you’re talking about!’

‘I found them in _your_ car.’

 _What_? Where had they come from and how had they gotten into her car?!

‘Where in my car did you find them?’

‘There were in a brown envelope in the glove compartment.’

 _Oh God_! The nurse at the hospital! She had given Rey Ben’s few personal items in a brown envelope and in all the excitement Rey had forgotten about all about it. When they got back home she had panicked that the items would jog Ben’s memory, so she had hidden them in the glove compartment of her broken down car, knowing they wouldn’t be using it anytime soon.  

 It was a stupid mistake for someone weaving a web of lies as big as she was to make, but maybe it was the push she needed to stop making excuses and finally face the music.

_This is your wake up call Rey, time for you to put an end to this dream._

There was no other way to explain why they were in her car. She was all out of lies.

‘Ben, I’m glad you found these, because it’s time you knew the truth. There’s something I’ve been trying to tell you for weeks now...we’re not married. I made all of it all up. This isn’t your house and these are not your children.’

‘Just tell me who he is.’ Ben said calmly. His hands balled into fists. He seemed to be blinded by his own rage.  

‘I am telling you! It’s you! You’re the guy! Those are yours and I just forgot I put them in there!’ Rey said desperately.

‘Oh come on Rey! I would never spring for Gucci swim shorts, And with _tigers_ printed on them? Really? And look how _tight_ these are! What kind of a prick would wear these?!’

Rey smacked her palm into her head, ‘I’m telling you! These are yours! You are a millionaire with more money than sense and I’m a silly waitress who had a stupid idea to teach you a lesson and I’m so glad this is all finally out because it’s not fair to you, you need to know who you truly are no matter how I feel about it.’

‘I’ll find out you know. It’s a small town, Rey. I’ll find out who he is.’

Rey groaned with frustration and grabbed Ben’s hand, ‘Come with me.’ She dragged him into the house and stood in front of the tv so Star and Warren would have to look at her.

‘Kids, I want you to tell Ben the truth, tell him that he isn’t your dad.’

Warren didn’t even blink, ‘but he _is_ our dad.’

Ben folded his large arms across his ample chest smugly.

Rey sighed, ‘No, don’t tell him what I _told_ you to tell him, tell him the truth!’

Star looked at Rey, ‘Daddy hit his head and he was missing for days and we were so worried, but now he’s back and everything is okay again.’ She looked up at Ben with a simpering smile and he smiled back at her.

‘I don’t know why you are maintaining this ridiculous charade, Rey, but when you’re ready to talk sensibly, I’ll be on the front porch.’

Once Ben had left the room Rey turned back to her children, ‘This isn’t right you know, he has to know the truth. 

‘No he doesn’t. He’s happy with us and we’re happy with him. We want to keep him,’ Warren said.

‘We can’t keep him! He isn’t ours to keep! He isn’t a pet!’ Rey cried.

‘He is too ours! He told me he would always be my daddy!’ Star said with tears forming in her eyes.

 _What have I done?_ Rey thought with dread. She left the room and stood in the kitchen trying to figure out how she could fix the situation, but there was no solution. Whatever happened, someone was going to get hurt so she decided it was better to just be honest and deal with the fallout.

She slowly left the house ready to face Ben, and was startled to find him talking to a very animated Rose out on the front porch. When Ben saw her, he starting walking towards her with outstretched arms.

‘It’s okay. Rose has explained everything.’

‘What?’ Rey asked, clearly confused.

Rose came forward, ‘I explained how you were covering for me because I cheated on Finn one night and I borrowed your car to cover my tracks. It’s okay Rey. You don’t need to lie anymore. I’m goina come clean with Finn. It’s not right to keep this from him any longer.’

‘Rose…..’

‘I said it’s okay, Rey,’ Rose said taking her friends hands in hers, ‘I don’t want anything to come between the two of you. You’re great together.’

Rey wanted to cry, she felt guilty and panicked but also relieved. Relieved that her friends lie explained everything and seemed much more plausible than the actual truth.

So Rey shut up and went along with Rose’s story, because it was easier, and because Ben had wrapped his warm, strong arms around her and was telling her that she was a good friend with a crazy, overactive imagination, and with her face pressed up against his chest breathing in his scent, she could trick herself into thinking that everything would be just fine. That this was as it should be, and she wasn’t just falling in love with a dream.

**********


	7. Summer Dreams....

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The holiday at the lake affords them all some time to relax, but Ben has some disturbing dreams...or maybe they aren't dreams at all...
> 
> (Sorry life has got in the way of me updating, this is a small chapter but I'm working on another update hopefully within the next few days.) 
> 
> **********

_Why on earth would Rey make up such an outlandish story?_

Ben kept wondering to himself over and over as he drove them to the lake. It just didn’t make sense...she could have told him about Rose. He would never have betrayed her confidence...but had she betrayed his? Could it be that the story was...true? _No_! That was ridiculous! Rey could never be that deceitful. She was an angel.

She helped wherever it was needed, she raised their adopted children as if they were her own, and she made him feel...well, she made him _feel_. She listened to him moan about work, she listened to him complain about not remembering anything, she secretly bought him the high priced foods he craved whenever the budget allowed, casually popping them in the cupboards without saying a word, and she kissed him as if she needed him for life support. She couldn’t have made all this up. She just couldn’t… 

‘Penny for your thoughts?’ Rey said with a smile, bringing him back to reality. 

Ben smiled back, ‘I don’t think they are worth a penny,’ He said with a crooked smile. 

‘They’re worth their weight in gold, to me.’ Rey said with a look that...well a look that did things to him. Primal things. Caveman things… so he remembered cavemen but not his own birthday? Life was so weird… 

Rey was nervous. Ben had been deep in thought during the entire drive. She knew Ben was smart. Really smart. Had he figured out her wicked plan? Urgh! Why did those Gucci pants have to rear their ugly crotch and ruin all her plans?! 

_I will tell you the truth Ben,_ She vowed silently, _just not yet._

_**********_

Sparkles of sunshine danced on the lakes surface as Rey drew in a deep gulp of pine scented air. She let the light breeze carry her troubles away, this weekend wasn’t about her, it was about Star and Warren.

As Ben started to unpack the car and discuss where to set up the tents with Finn, Rey winked at Star and Warren,

‘Catch me if you can!’ She shouted running into the cover of the forest behind her. Rose laughed out loud as she pulled camping equipment from Finn’s truck.

Star and Warren shouted out and started after her. Rey darted behind a tree and tried not to laugh. She heard them discuss strategy as they clomped through the foliage, trying to discover her location. She kept very still and after a few minutes Warren predictably lost his patience and shouted for Ben to come help. Rey’s heart thumped in her chest. She hadn’t thought this through very well had she?

‘I’ll handle this!’ She heard Ben shout as he entered the wood. Star and Warren whooped behind him, but did not follow him in.

_Oh god_. They were going to be in the woods. _Alone_. Gulp.

Rey started to wonder if she should jump out and end the game...when Ben spun into her vision slapping his palms onto the tree trunk either side of her.

‘Got ya.’ He said in a low voice that did things to insides.

Rey took a deep breath and looked up into his eyes, and when he dipped his head and kissed her, she let him. How could she not?

After all he had kissed _her_ right? It was _his_ choice…he was the one who reached for her thigh and hitched it up against his own knocking her slightly off balance and practically _forcing_ her to wrap her arms tightly around his neck...Yup this was all Ben’s fault…

_Liar_ …

**********

They emerged from the wood hand in hand. Warren and Star whooped and congratulated Ben on his win. When Star ran towards him and Ben caught her and lifted her up, carrying her close, Warren fitted himself to Ben’s side demanding the details of Rey’s hiding place. Rey felt tears in her eyes as she walked with her perfect family, it was what she had always wanted, but she had forced the jigsaw pieces together and just because they fit didn’t mean they were in the right place.

Later, as they all roasted marshmallows around a campfire, Rey allowed herself to wallow in soft contentment. Finn strummed his guitar lightly and Rose lay her head on his shoulder, a small smile on her lips. Star giggled relentlessly as Ben kept swiping her mallows from the end of her stick then pretending he was innocent when she half heartedly scolded him.

Rey admitted to herself that Ben now owned a special place in her heart, and it was going to feel very empty when he left, but maybe he would want to stay? Maybe he wouldn’t want to leave them?

Ben caught her looking at him and they smiled at each other over the dancing flames.

A girl could dream couldn’t she?

**********

That night snuggled together with Warren and Star between them, Rey and Ben whispered to one another. Plans for the future, things they wanted to do, things they wanted to see, together.

‘We can start all over again.’ Ben said.

‘I’d like that.’ Rey said.

‘Maybe we could even...renew our vows...if you wanted to?’

‘Yes.’ Rey replied instinctively.

_You can’t keep him….You can’t keep him…_ But she wanted to. She wanted to so badly.

‘Goodnight Ben.’

‘Goodnight Rey.’

**********

_Ben is in a small room. He is being told to sit up straight. If he is good, he might get a family today. Ben isn’t sure he wants to leave his friends...but a family is good right? A family means someone to love him…_

_An old man comes into the room. He looks stern. He is bald and his skin is strange. He looks at Ben from head to toe. Ben is afraid. He doesn’t like the man._

_‘How old?’ The man asks._

_‘Six.’ A voice answers._

_‘_ _And he been here since birth? Why has he been here so long?’_

_‘Ben has some….behavioural issues.’_

_Ben knew what that meant. That was bad. That was why he didn’t have a family. No one wanted_ _a naughty boy._

_But the_ _old man smiled. A slow smile that creeped across his cheeks. It made him look more even scarier._

_‘I’ll take him.’ The man said._

**********

_Now Ben was wearing white and lying on a hard floor. He felt pain in his leg._

_‘Ben, you have to learn to deal with_ _the pain…’_

_‘But father…’_

_‘Don’t argue! You know how I hate disobedience!’_

_Ben was silent. He rubbed his ankle. It was swollen and sore._

_‘Get up.’ His father ordered._

_Ben did so._

_‘Again.’ His father said._

_Ben limped over to the girl who stood waiting with him in attack pose._ _She was also wearing white with a black belt tied at her waist. Ben looked down. His belt was brown._

_‘Take him out, Phasma.’_

_Ben looked at his father, his heart crumpled_ _in his chest._

_‘Do it, Phasma.’_

_Phasma swept her leg at Ben’s bad ankle, he called out and went down._

_‘Use_ _it, Ben,’ His father_ _bellowed, ‘own this pain.’_

_Ben closed his eyes and swept his injured leg at the girl. She cried out and went down._

_‘Excellent Ben.’_

_Ben felt his chest swell with pride._ _His father was proud. The girl looked at him. There was hurt in her eyes._

_‘Both of you, up. Let’s go again.’_

**********

Ben woke up in the tent drenched with sweat. Star was draped across him and continued to snore soundly.

_What was that? A dream? Or could it be...memories?_

The more Ben thought about it the more he was sure they were memories, and from the few glimpses of his childhood he had been awarded, it certainly seemed less than idyllic. Rey had said he had a step-father, though she knew nothing about him. She said that Ben had severed all contact with the man long before they had met. She had never mentioned a sister though, the girl felt like family…perhaps he had never told Rey about her? Maybe it was starting to come back finally, maybe he would even remember Rey soon. That thought give him a thrill. He glanced over to where Rey slept, she scrunched up her nose as Warren’s hair fell into her face.

_Adorable._

‘I want to remember everything about you…’ Ben whispered.

Rey frowned in her sleep and Ben hoped she wasn’t having a nightmare.

‘You can’t keep him…’ She whispered as she dreamed.

Couldn’t keep him? Keep who? Ben felt a flare of jealousy.

‘Ben…’ Rey breathed.

Ben’s mind emptied and he held his breath not wanting to miss a word.

‘I’m so sorry...please stay.’

‘I’m not going anywhere.’ Ben whispered back.

His answer seemed to calm her and her frown disappeared.

Why was Rey worried he would leave her? Was there something he didn’t know? Was there something in their past she hadn’t told him? Something that would keep them apart?

Star moaned and Ben stroked her hair. The rhythmic action soothed them both.

Still, it took some time for Ben to drift back to sleep and even longer for him to stop dreaming of the old man’s cold eyes staring into his.

**********


	8. Hide and Seek

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ben and Rey find themselves alone again but can they control themselves this time?

The next morning Rose announced that she was going to take Warren and Star out on the lake.

‘I’m afraid there is only room for the four of us so you are Ben will have to stay here.’ She said.

Rey raised an eyebrow at her but Rose held her poker face. Rey knew she was just creating a reason for her to be alone with Ben, but it wasn’t like she could object, could she?

Ben and Rey helped Star and Warren into the boat. Finn shook the sides of the little wooden vessel pretending he was going to capsize them. Star and Warren laughed and called out and Finn only stopped when Rey said her nerves couldn’t take anymore.

They waved them out onto the lake. Ben came up behind Rey and put his hands on her shoulders.

‘Well what should we do now?’ He asked casually.

 _Oh god…_.

‘Erm…go for a walk?’

Ben smiled at her,

‘I’ll give you a head start…’

‘What?’ Rey asked as her eyes widened.

‘I’ll give you a ten second head start...don’t waste it.’

Rey looked at him for a moment then took off into the woods.

_What are you doing? This won’t end well!_

Rey shook the thoughts away and continued running. Distance was futile though, Ben had such long legs he would quickly catch up to her. Her best bet was a good hiding place.

Having always been a good climber, Rey located a tall tree and scrambled up into its branches. There were enough leaves to keep her hidden from view. She held her breath as she heard rustling come from behind her.

She looked over her shoulder and there was Ben, hunting for her. Excitement shivered through her body. She bit her lip.

_Why was this such a turn on?_

Ben was right below her now.

 _Oh god,_ he was _below_ her _..._

She blushed at her own thoughts.

She took in a small gasp of air. It was a mistake. He looked up with a slow smile, and with cat like reflexes, pounced and grabbed for her ankle, Rey screamed and tried to climb higher but she lost her footing and fell right into Ben’s arms. He caught her with ease, and grinned as he opened his mouth to say something… but then suddenly he frowned.

_A boat…they were on a boat… and he was holding Rey and then…No! that can’t be right…why on earth would he have done that?_

‘Ben,’ Rey’s voice cut through the vision, drawing his focus back to her. She had her arms laced around his neck now. Her facial expression was one of concern.

‘Do you feel safe with me?’ Ben asked.

‘What?’ Rey asked.

‘I just….I just need to know…do you feel safe with me?’

Rey pressed her lips lightly against his before answering,

‘I feel safer with you, than anyone I have ever known.’

Somewhere within Ben a crack that had once been open healed at her words. He kissed her and she clutched at his hair, drawing him closer.

_Yes… this is what he had always wanted. To be needed. Family…affection…. desire…. belonging…._

Without breaking the kiss Ben moved his arms so that he could support Rey’s legs around his waist. Rey cupped his cheeks as she thrust her tongue into his mouth. She moaned slightly. Ben turned to lean Rey’s back against the tree. He pressed kisses to her cheek, her chin, her throat and her neck. Rey tilted her head to allow him better access. He felt her pulse throb beneath his lips. Rey was so alive…

_Feelings are for the weak…_

He pushed away the old man’s voice. The voice of his step father maybe?

The smell of Rey’s perfume brought him back to reality. It teased his senses and tickled the back of his throat.

Ben fought his libido for control. Desire and arousal coursed through his veins, they pushed him forward, urging him on.

‘Rey…’ He said against her skin.

‘Oh Ben…’ She replied panting in his arms.

‘You feel so good…’ He said running his hands up her body to her breasts.

Rey’s mouth opened and she arched her back thrusting her breasts out further,

‘Oh god, I want you so much…’ She whispered.

Ben kissed her more urgently and slid one of his hands down between them, fumbling with the buttons on his jeans…

‘Daddy?’ A shout from Star in the distance washed over them like a shower of ice-cold rain.

Ben put Rey down and they looked at each other for a moment.

Star called again more urgently, ‘DADDY!!’

They both ran towards the sound. They found Star pressed against Rose, her little cheeks stained with tears.

‘What’s wrong, Princess?’ Ben asked bending down and gathering her up in his arms.

‘I thought you were gone. I thought you had left…’ She sobbed.

‘I’m sorry,’ Rose said, ‘Warren splashed her and she got quite a shock. She wanted to come back to shore but when she couldn’t see you two, she somehow got it into her head that you had abandoned her.’

‘We would never do that.’ Ben said stroking the little girl’s hair.

Star’s sobs quietened then stopped.

Rose glanced at Rey and she blushed. She knew Rose probably had a good idea of what had been going on between them in the woods. Now that the initial rush of arousal had worn off, she felt ashamed of her actions. Ben wasn’t her play thing! She had claimed his affection in an unnatural way and she had no right to use him like this, no matter how good it felt.

She kept herself busy the rest of the trip, taking care to make sure she wasn’t alone with Ben again, though she couldn’t stop herself occasionally slipping her hand into his as they walked, or running her fingers through his hair as they lay in bed together talking.

She dreaded returning to reality, but she knew their time at the lake couldn’t last forever, and neither could her time with Ben.

 **********


	9. Snoke's Discovery

‘And what about the Ren corporation ma’am?’ Hux asked, holding the folder in his hand as they went through the documents on what was once Ben’s desk. Phasma had pretty much claimed the office as her own since her return.

‘Dump it. That was my brother’s dumb pet project.’ Phasma replied.

‘As you wish.’ Hux said with a small nod.

Phasma rubbed her temples, ‘I’m sick and tired of everyone always asking me if there have been any sightings, if there was any news yet? Why can’t people just accept he died at sea? Why does everyone have to be so god damn… hopeful?’

‘Its just in their nature I suppose,’ Hux suggested with a shrug.

‘Yeah well, it’s annoying.’

‘I’ll hold your calls this afternoon Ma’am.’ Hux said.

‘Thank you Hux. You’re a treasure.’ Phasma said.

Hux beamed as he left. Phasma rolled her eyes. Poor gullible Hux. So easy to keep on the leash with a few well-placed compliments. What a fool.

Phasma picked up her phone to return her messages when her office doors unexpectedly slammed open. In rolled her father in an electric wheelchair, a small blanket over his legs, and a frantic nurse running behind him manoeuvring a medical drip stand.

Phasma dropped the phone.

‘Father! What are you doing out of bed?’ She asked trying to mask the fear in her voice.

Her father’s voice was raspy but firm, ‘I had a feeling you were keeping something from me Phasma, so I sent a private detective to check out your story and guess what he found out?’

Phasma swallowed, ‘I’m sure I have no idea what you’re talking about.’

Her father rolled up to the desk and threw a selection of pictures of Ben down onto the surface.

Phasma picked up the photos. Ben laughing with a group of guys, Ben carrying a little girl on his shoulders, Ben kissing some hot piece of ass on the lips? It was undeniable. This was Ben, and yet… it wasn’t. At least it wasn’t the brother she remembered. Had she ever seen Ben smile before like he was smiling at that pretty young thing? Did he remember who he was at all? Or had he just wandered out of the hospital one day and started a new _life?_

Phasma pushed the thoughts aside, there would be time for speculation later. It was time for some Oscar worthy acting. With tears in her eyes Phasma put the back of her hand against her lips,

‘He’s alive! Oh, father! They were wrong! Thank Heavens they were wrong!’ She sobbed.

The old man observed Phasma for a moment. She didn’t think he believed her story but she also knew enough about her father to know that he would admire her cut-throat actions. It was the Snoke family way after all.

‘Leave us.’ He called to the nurse who darted out of the office.

‘Well played Phasma, well played.’ Her father congratulated her.

‘I don’t know what you mean father.’

‘I think you do, but I will play along. Get your things, we’re going to get your brother.’

‘Hold on! Maybe he doesn’t want to come home! Maybe he is happy where he is! Let’s think about this for a moment.’

‘Ben want to come home Phasma, he just doesn’t know it yet.’

‘I just think…’

‘Enough!’ The old man’s shout echoed against the office walls and Phasma dropped her head.

‘You have played well but you have lost, Phasma. Ben is the only one capable of being my successor, we will retrieve him and we will remind him who he is.’

‘What about the girl?’ Phasma asked in a small voice.

‘We will let Ben deal with the girl. You have ten minutes.’ Her father said, as he manoeuvred out of the office.

**********


	10. Broken Dreams...

Sunday morning, they drove home. Star and Warren dozed in the backseat and Rey and Ben were both very quiet. Rey could feel the unspoken words hanging in the air between them. When they got home, it was truth time.

Pulling into the drive way Rey frowned. A limo was pulled up outside their house and a woman and a man were standing outside of it. A very prim looking woman with a sombre face and a man in a wheelchair…. _oh god_ …this had to be Ben’s real family…they had come for him.

Rey looked at Ben, he was too busy concentrating on parking the car to notice the newcomers.

Rey held her breath, unsure what to say. She excited the car and so did Ben. He grabbed a couple of bags from the boot and turned around. Rey froze. Ben was now face to face with the visitors.

‘Hey Phasma, Hey Father. Hold on, I just gotta take these things into the house.’

Phasma and Snoke stood with their mouths wide open as they watched Ben bound into the house with the luggage.

Rey couldn’t move her legs. Her world was crumbling around her and there was nothing she could do.

After a few minutes, Ben re-emerged from the house.

‘I remember.’ He said simply.

A knock on the car window drew Rey’s attention. Warren was pounding on the glass. Rey moved to the door and helped the children out of the car. She tried to get them to go into the house but Warren demanded to know what was going on and Star eyed the strangers with a fearful expression.

Ben came towards Rey. His face was dark. She placed herself in front of the children.

‘You lied to me. You’re….you’re that surly wannabe mechanic. And I...oh my god. I threw you off the boat. I did do that. I’m an asshole for that, but you, you’re an even bigger asshole. You made me believe…,’ His eyes settled on Star and Warren peeping out from behind Rey’s legs, ‘Rey, how could you make me believe…’

Rey wished the ground would swallow her up. There was no reasonable explanation. Nothing she could say. She was an asshole.

‘I’m sorry,’ She whispered, her voice breaking, ‘I never wanted…’

‘You never wanted what?’ Ben said in a low voice, ‘You never wanted me? Was this all just some big cruel joke to you?’

‘No! No Ben! Ben listen to me! I…’

‘Save it. You’re not who I thought you were.’

Ben turned to Phasma and Snoke who were yet to say a word, ‘I’ll get my things.’ He said before disappearing into the house.

Rey turned to look at the man and the woman. The tall, leggy, blonde crossed her arms over her chest and regarded Rey,

‘Woah, I’ve always considered myself a bit of a ballbuster but you might be my new hero, girlie. Making him believe he’s your husband and with two kids thrown into the deal for good measure! That’s cold!'

One look from the old man silenced the cool blonde. The old man glanced at Rey. She suppressed the urge to recoil under his gaze.

‘You will hear from our attorneys.’ He said simply.

Ben reappeared in the doorway,

‘Nothing inside is mine.’ He said walking past Rey without looking at her.

‘Please…’ Rey called out as Ben walked away, but he ignored her.

He walked towards his family and without another word, they bundled him into their limousine and he disappeared from sight. The only thing that kept Rey’s legs from crumbling beneath her, were the two small pairs of hands tightly clutching onto either thigh.

**********

‘I don’t want to leave just yet.’ Ben said as they boarded the yacht. _His_ yacht. He remembered everything now. As soon as he saw Phasma and his father the memories had just clicked into place like jigsaw puzzle pieces and at first, he had been elated, then he had realised with a sickening lurch, that everything with Rey had been a lie. Rey. His darling Rey. She had lied to him. They were never married. They had never so much as kissed. She was nothing but an employee, a temporary employee at that. How dare she use his like that, how _dare_ she…but then, it didn’t feel like a lie. It hadn’t felt like a lie when she kissed him. It hadn’t felt like a lie when she told him that she felt safe with him…

‘Why not?’ Phasma demanded.

How could he explain? How could he explain that he had tasted love and he was scared to leave in-case he never felt that way again? How could he explain that he was too angry to even look at Rey, but the thought of putting too much distance between them made his heart heavy. It was all such a huge, mess.

‘I just need some time, Phasma.’ He answered.

‘Don’t tell me that you’ve become attached to this disgusting _hovel_ of a town?’ Phasma said with distaste.

‘No. I’m still Ben Solo.’ _Was he_? He wasn’t so sure…

‘Good. Make sure you remember that.’ Phasma shoved ahead of Ben and he sighed.

‘Welcome home Sir.’ Hux said.

‘Thank you Hux.’ Ben replied and Hux blinked rapidly at him, ‘Can I get you anything Sir?’ Hux enquired.

‘No. I’m fine.’ Ben said, ‘I think I’ll just go have a lie down.’

Ben headed for his room. Once he was inside, he leaned his head against the door and closed his eyes. When he eventually opened them again, they were drawn to his closet. He slid open the door and ran a hand along the rails of expensive suits. His hands quickly curled into fists when he thought of the rags Rey had offered him to wear. Where had she got them? Probably borrowed from Finn.

He felt a stab of sadness when he thought of his friend. In this world, Ben had no friends. Trust was the one thing no one traded in the business world. He would miss talking to him but not as much as he would miss…Rey. _God_ , even thinking her name hurt.

Why had she done it? To teach him a lesson no doubt and to make back the money for her lost tools. He did feel guilty about that. He had behaved very badly towards her, but it didn’t excuse her behaviour. What she had done to him! It was a crime for god’s sake! He could have her arrested! But the thought of Rey in handcuffs as Star and Warren looked on with tears in their eyes, no. He couldn’t do it. He wasn’t that monster anymore. Ben sat down on the bed and looked at his face in the dressing table mirror.

He knew exactly who he was now…but he had never felt more lost.

**********


	11. One last time...

Rey managed to keep her tears at bay until she knew Warren and Star were tucked up safe in bed. Warren was sullen all evening. He knew Ben wasn’t coming back. Star was luckily still young and could be placated with a lie about Ben going to visit some old friends for a little while.

Why the hell had she listened to Rose? But no, try as she might she couldn’t regret the lies, because without them she would never have gotten to know Ben Solo. The real Ben Solo the one underneath all the privilege. She would never forget the time they had spent together. She would hold onto those memories for the rest of her life.

_He might come back?_ A small voice whispered in her mind.

‘Get real Rey.’ She said out loud to herself, ‘You’re a kidnapper, you’re disgusting.’

With a blanket around her shoulders she padded to the kitchen and retrieved the whiskey bottle, not bothering with a glass.

‘Here’s to you, Rey.’ She said holding the bottle up high in the air before taking a very long swig, ‘May you get what’s coming to you.’

**********

A few alcohol filled hours later…

_Knock. Knock. Knock._

Rey awoke to the sound of light rapping on the door. She was sitting on the sofa still wrapped in the blanket holding the now empty whiskey bottle. She stumbled to the door and opened it. Ben looked down at her. He had changed. His hair was slicked back and he was wearing a fitted suit. He looked good. Her heart squeezed in her chest.

‘I had to see you one last time.’ He said.

‘You’re leaving then.’ Rey said trying not to break down into tears. She stood to the side so Ben could enter the room.

‘Yes.’

Rey wrapped the blanket around herself as if somehow the soft wool could protect her from his words.

‘Ben I...sorry isn’t enough I know…but I am sorry. So sorry. My actions were...unforgiveable and well, I assume the police will be involved now…’

‘No. No authorities. I just want all this to be over.’ He said coldly.

‘Okay.’ Rey said in the small voice.

‘I just wanted to look at you one last time and ask…was any of it was real?’

‘What?’

‘Was any of it real? Did you feel anything for me or was it all just part of your little act?’

‘It was real, at least, for me it was. I wanted to tell you the truth so many times, but I...I didn’t want you to leave me. I know that’s pathetic and selfish but, that’s the only explanation I have.’ Rey shrugged and looked down at the ground.

‘Do you love me?’ Ben asked.

‘What?’ Rey was startled by the questions.

‘Do you love me?’

_Don’t answer that. It will hurt more._

‘No, but I…like you…a lot.’

‘You _like_ me a lot? Is that all you have to say? You _like_ me a lot yet you lied to me, you used me, you…’

The whiskey in Rey’s system started talking for her, ‘I taught you what it’s like for the people who work for you, I taught you that money doesn’t give you manners, that there are good people who don’t deserve the treatment you give them. I taught you a valuable lesson Solo, were my methods ethical? No. But don’t you dare tell me you didn’t get anything out of this experience! Don’t you dare tell me you don’t see the world differently now.’

‘You’ve made me soft. I doubt my father will allow me to take over his business now.’

‘I hope he doesn’t. He seems like a brute from what I’ve read of him. I don’t want you to be anything like him. You’re capable of so much more.’

Ben looked at her.

‘I’m capable of so much more, huh, like being a live-in slave for you?’

Rey’s face crumpled, ‘I’m sorry.’

‘Too little, too late.’ Ben said walking away from her and leaving the house.

Rey fell to the floor and sobbed.

 **********


	12. Lessons in Love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ben and Rey are both counselled by an older, wiser mentor.

Ben heard Rey begin to cry. He hesitated outside the door. Part of him wanted to go back inside and tell her everything would be fine, to take her in his arms and carry her to the bedroom, he imagined the sex would be desperate and emotional. The connection they both needed so badly could perhaps be the key to him truly knowing if Rey was his future, but another part of him was too hurt and betrayed to allow that behaviour.

He got back into the hired limo, but he didn’t feel like going back to the yacht yet, so instead he instructed the driver to take him to the diner where Rey worked.

He entered the diner and took a seat at one of the small tables eying the laminated menu’s with suspicion. A few hours ago, he wouldn’t have thought twice about whether or not the beef was of good quality or how long the coffee had been percolating for. Was he a better person for worrying about these details now? Ben didn’t know.

‘You’re Ben, aren’t you?’ enquired a kind looking older waitress brandishing a coffee pot.

‘I am,’ Ben confirmed, ‘But I’m probably not the Ben you think I am.’

‘Oh, so she finally told you the truth! I’m so glad! I was against this whole thing from the start you know, and to be honest, lying didn’t suit Rey one bit. I could tell its been eating her up inside.’

‘Rey didn’t tell me the truth, she waited until I stumbled upon it myself. I doubt she would ever willing give up her cabana boy.’ Ben said angrily.

Leia looked sympathetically at him and sat down as she poured him a cup of coffee.

‘You meant a lot more to her than that and you know it,’ she said then she squinted at Ben, ‘You _do_ know it don’t you? That’s the problem. You’re in love with her, and that’s why this hurts so much more. Oh, I’m so sorry hunny.’

Ben bristled, ‘You don’t know anything about me.’

‘That’s true, but I’ve always been somewhat naturally intuitive around certain folk.’ Leia paused, ‘She loves you too you know.’

Ben’s head snapped up from his coffee cup.

Leia smiled, ‘So what are you going to do now?’

‘Go home and rebuild my old life.’ Ben shrugged.

‘Is that what you want?’

‘I don’t know. My father wants me to return.’

Leia regarded Ben for a few moments then spoke again, ‘Maybe it’s about time you stopped listening to that voice in your head and asked yourself what you want, in here.’ She pointed a finger at Ben’s chest.

Ben ran a hand through his hair and groaned.

‘Trust me Ben, the high ground is over rated…I made a decision once to save face, in order to protect myself, and it was the worst decision I ever made. I regret it every day.’

‘What did you do?’ Ben asked with curiosity.

‘That doesn’t matter, what matters is the lesson I learned. Hold onto the things that are important to you. Don’t let others dictate how you should live your life, and above all, remember that love trumps _everything_.’

Ben smiled then, ‘Thank You Leia.’

‘Anytime.’ Leia said with a matching smile standing up and returning to her place behind the counter.

Ben sat for sometime thinking about what Leia had said. He did love Rey. That was painfully obvious to him, but did she love him? Could Leia be right? And if she was, would that change things? Could he forgive her actions, if she truly loved him?

**********

It was late when Ben headed back to the yacht that night. They were meant to set sail early in the morning, but Ben was conflicted about the decision. He stood on the deck looking out over the moonlit water below.

‘Where have you been?’ Phasma asked, appearing on the deck in a floaty dressing gown with a martini glass in hand.

‘Nowhere.’ Ben replied.

‘Bullshit. You’re not sure you want to leave, are you? You went to see that girl, didn’t you? What’s so special about her?’

Ben felt his chest grow hot with anger, ‘Leave it Phasma…’ He growled.

‘Come on Ben! Sure, she’s pretty, I’ll allow that, but she’d be a dime a dozen back home!’

‘Don’t talk about her like that…’

‘You see! She has got under your skin, hasn’t she? Poor little Benny Wenny has gone and falling in love with his…with his kidnapper! Its all too delicious!’

Phasma threw back her head and laughed heartily putting a delicate long hand to her throat. Ben’s hands clenched into fists.

‘Don’t worry Ben, you go on back to the little wifey. I can handle things on this end. You really don’t need to be here.’ Phasma taunted.

Something clicked in Ben’s head and suddenly his emotions were mute. He turned to Phasma with a cold expression.

‘If that’s true why are you here looking for me? Could it be because father didn’t want you to be in-charge of things?’

Phasma was quiet. Ben smiled and walked towards her.

‘You see Phasma, you’ll always be second best in his eyes. That’s why I have to come back. He’ll never relinquish his power to you.’

‘He’s just blinded by his own misogyny,’ Phasma grumbled.

‘Or maybe he just sees the same weakness in you that I saw every time I bested you during our childhood Karate practises. You don’t have what it takes to get the job done, Phasma, accept it.’

‘Oh, and you do?’ Phasma shot back.

‘You have no idea what I’m capable of.’ Ben replied.

Phasma looked afraid as Ben loomed over her. She took a step back.

‘I wasn’t sure at first…’ She said wearily, ‘But now I see that you are back. All of you.’

‘Yes, I am.’ Ben said sternly, ‘Get used to it.’

**********

‘You talked to Ben last night? _Ben,_ _Ben_? My Ben?’ Rey asked incredulously.

‘Yes, that Ben. I talked to that Ben last night.’ Leia confirmed again while she set the tables. Rey followed her around the diner in a state of panic.

‘Tell me everything he said.’

‘Not much to tell, he was sad, poor thing. I told him that he needed to make a choice for himself, not for anyone else and…I think he’s in love with you.’

Rey gasped and put a hand over her heart.

‘Oh, don’t act so surprised, I know you love him too.’

‘He asked me that.’

‘What?’

‘He asked me if I loved him last night. He came to see me right before he came here and he asked me if I loved him.’

‘And what did you say?’

‘I said I liked him a lot.’

Leia sighed and rolled her eyes, ‘You two are as stupid as each other.’

Rey rubbed her face with her hands, ‘What should I do?’

‘Why don’t you go see him?’

‘I don’t think he wants to see me.’ Rey said miserably.

‘He’s going to leave, Rey. You might never get the chance to tell him how you really feel, do you want to regret that for the rest of your life?’

‘No, but…’

‘No buts! You should tell him while you still have the chance!’

‘Even if he does love me, how can he forgive me after what I did to him?’ Rey cried.

‘Yes, it was awful what you did to him, taking him in when no one else would, teaching him to appreciate money, showing him that kindness goes a long way, giving him a family and a loving wife…’

Rey’s eyes jumped to Leia’s. Leia gave her a knowing look and put her hand on her hip.

‘Go on.’ She urged.

Rey kissed Leia on the cheek and bolted out of the diner.

Leia watched her go with a wistful smile.

‘Good luck darlin.’ She whispered before returning to her task of wiping down the diner tables.

**********


	13. Missed Opportunities

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rey races to catch Ben before he leaves town for good, but will she be too late?

Rey’s heart pounded fast as she approached her destination.

Would he want to see her? Was this all a big mistake?

She parked her car and walked towards the location of Ben’s boat, but it was gone. Rey felt the air leave her lungs. He was gone and she had lost him forever, without having the chance to tell him she loved him. Suddenly, she realised that she couldn’t let things end that way between them, every part of her wanted to go after him. She took out her phone and called for reinforcements.

**********

Ben woke up to the sound of the boat moving. _What the hell?_ They weren’t supposed to have set sail yet. Upon leaving his room he found his father in the lounge.

‘Ahhhhh there you are!’ His father exclaimed holding out his arms as if to embrace Ben. Ben stopped in his tracks.

‘Why are we moving?’ He asked.

‘We’re going home, my boy.’ Snoke announced.

‘I thought I made the rules on this boat.’

Snoke’s smile dropped, ‘I make all the rules Ben, and you follow them. Don’t you forget that.’

And there it was. The answer Ben had been waiting for. If he stayed with his father, he would never be free. He would never be able to make his own choices or choose his own path. His father would dictate his every move even after Snoke’s death, Ben would still be bound by unbreakable contracts to follow his father’s every wish.                                                                                     

Ben turned to leave the room.

‘Where are you going?’ Snoke demanded.

‘I’m going to speak to the Captain.’

‘Don’t you dare. We’re going home. I don’t care how much fun you had with that little whore back there…’

‘DON’T YOU EVER CALL REY A WHORE!’ Ben roared.

‘You have forgotten your place boy,’ Snoke said, his face turning dark.

‘No, I haven’t Father, I’ve just realised where my place is…with Rey and my family.’

Ben turned to leave again.

‘If you walk away from me Ben, I will cut you off! There will be no inheritance! No more allowances! You’ll have nothing!’ Snoke snarled.

Ben turned around with a smile on his lips, ‘Oh no Father, I won’t have nothing, quite the contrary, I’ll have everything I need.’

**********

‘Can’t you go any faster?’ Rey whined.

‘Rey! This is not a battle cruiser for god's sake!’ Finn shouted back, ‘I’ve had no need for a powerful engine, all I do in this boat is pretend to fish while drinking my weight in beer!’

‘I knew it!’ Rose exclaimed.

‘Talk about it later!’ Rey shouted throwing her hands up, ‘One domestic crisis at a time!’

‘I’m telling you Rey we can’t catch up with them! The only way we could find them now is if they, if they…. what the hell?’ Finn squinted his eyes as he stared out the window.

‘Finn! What were you going to say?’

‘Erhh Rey, isn’t that your fake husbands’ boat?’ He said pointing.

Rey looked and saw Ben’s yacht coming towards them.

‘How on earth?’ How is this possible?’ She asked.

‘He’s turned around Rey, it’s the only way we could have caught up to them.’ Finn said.

‘Rey! He still loves you! He was coming back for you!’ Rose squealed jumping up and down. Star and Warren joined in whooping with delight.

‘What do I do?’ Rey asked.

‘Well go to him silly!’ Rose shouted.

Running out onto the deck Rey put her hand above her eyes in order to shield them from the sun. She was looking at the water debating how cold it would be if she jumped in when… suddenly he appeared on the yacht’s deck and her heart stopped for a moment.

**********

After relaying a new course to the Captain Ben went out onto the deck and couldn’t believe what he was seeing. Was that Rey? His Rey?

He waved his arms in the air and tried to shout,

‘REY!’

The wind carried his words away.

Ben looked around for someway to get her attention then realised that the boat was changing course again! His Father must have threatened the Captain, the swine!

Ben looked back at Rey helplessly as the boat began to turn once more.

‘Sir? If I may?’

Ben turned around to see Hux standing behind him holding out a life jacket in front of him.

‘Perhaps this could be of assistance?’ Hux asked.

Ben smiled at him.

**********

Rey could see that Ben’s mouth was opening and shutting but she couldn’t catch his words as the wind claimed them.

She tried to shout back before realising that he wouldn’t be able to hear her either. She let out a frustrated strangled scream.

Then the yacht’s engine roared and she realised he was moving away from her once more!

‘No!’ She called out.

Then she saw Ben talking to someone who helped him into a lifejacket… _oh god!_ He was going to jump! He was going to jump and possibly drowned! Could he even swim?

‘Finn!’ Rey cried frantically, ‘Get me a jacket!’

‘No way! You’re not going in there!’ He replied.

‘Oh yes I am!’ She retorted.

‘We better get her a jacket or she’ll jump without one!’ Rose said in a panic.

They located one and Rose helped Rey put it on. By the end she got back out onto the deck she was just in time to watch Ben jump off the yacht into the water below. Rey didn’t hesitate as she watched Ben crash into the waves, she dived off Finn’s boat into the water below, Star and Warren’s cheers ringing in her ears, as she splashed into the icy surf.  

**********


	14. Reunited

Rey swam as hard as she could keeping Ben firmly in her sights. Ben swam well and he reached her first. They embraced fiercely and kissed deeply.

‘I thought you had gone!’ Rey cried, ‘I thought I would never see you again.’

‘I was a fool.’ Ben said holding her close as they bobbed in the water, ‘I was mad to give you up. I don’t care how we ended up together. You showed me what real love is. Without you I would never have known that it was possible for me to be happy.’

‘I have never been as happy as I am when I’m with you, Ben, I lied. I do love you. I love you so much. I thought you were leaving and I thought telling you would make it harder. I was an idiot.’

‘You’re not an idiot.’ Ben said, ‘And I love you too. I don’t want to leave. I want to stay here with you, if you’ll have me?’

‘Of course, I will!’ Rey said with tears in her eyes.

Finn pulled the boat around and hauled them both back onboard. Rose wrapped them both in a blanket and beamed at them as Finn lectured them both on the dangers of jumping into the sea. Rey and Ben didn’t hear a word. They just looked at each other and smiled.

His family’s yacht had already disappeared from sight. Ben decided it was for the best. That boat could drift away with all the memories of his broken, messed up past. He would build himself new memories with the people he truly loved.

‘I can’t believe you gave all that up for me.’ Rey said. 

‘I didn’t.’ Ben replied. 

‘What do you mean?’ Rey asked looking confused.

‘A number of the assets are in my name. I’m not so stupid as to not allow myself a wage for helping to run my father’s company for all those years. I have a number of lucrative investments around the world which will allow us to live pretty comfortably from now on.’

‘You mean we won’t have to live from pay check to pay check anymore?’

Ben kissed the top of her head, ‘I mean that you won’t ever have to earn a pay check again if you don’t want to, my love.’

Rey smiled then frowned, ‘But your family. You’re giving them up for...for a nobody like me? I’m not important, I’m nothing.’

‘Not to me.’ Ben replied pulling her in for a kiss.

**********


	15. A Final Revelation

They drove home together with Star and Warren excitedly making plans for their new-found wealth. There were groans all round when Ben announced no one would see a penny of his cash unless their rooms were clean and tidy.

The moment they unlocked the front door, the children ran up the stairs to start cleaning and Ben and Rey laughed as them embraced.

Rey looked around the living room, ‘Where are we going to live?’ she asked.

‘Here.’ Ben replied gesturing around him.

‘In this house?!’ Rey asked.

‘God no! I’ll have a new one built. I mean we’ll still live in town.’

‘Won’t you be bored here?’  

‘Nope. There is a lucrative business here in town, that I believe would be an excellent franchise opportunity. I think the owner could be persuaded to allow me to invest.’ Ben said smiling at Finn as he came through the doorway behind them, followed closely by Rose.

Finn smiled and Rose put her hands over her mouth suddenly overcome with emotion.

Rey beamed and kissed Ben, ‘I don’t deserve you.’

‘I could say the same thing.’ He replied kissing the end of her nose. 

**********

Later, when the excitement had died down and the children were finally asleep, Rey swigged her beer to calm her nerves.

‘Ben?’

‘hmm..mmm?’ He said, half listening, half looking up plots of land for sale on Rey’s crappy laptop.

‘There’s something I want to ask you…’

‘Okay.’ Ben said, still not looking up.

Rey sighed and walked towards Ben. She bent down on one knee.

Ben looked at her.

‘What are you doing?’ He asked suspiciously.

‘I’m asking you to marry me. Isn’t this how its usually done?’ She asked nervously.

‘Nope.’ Ben said, as he swept her into his arms, spun her around and deposited her down on the sofa. Rey squealed and then gasped as Ben kneeled down.

‘This is how its done,’ He said firmly taking her hand in his.

‘Rey, I thought my life was set in stone. I knew exactly what I was going to be and how I was going to get there, then you came along. Like a bolt of lightning, you woke me up and showed me a different way to live. This life is nothing like my previous one. Its chaotic and messy and unpredictable and I wouldn’t have it any other way. My heart is filled with you now. I have my memories back, but I don’t want them anymore. I want to make new ones with you and Star and Warren. I want to be the man you made me into. I want to be your man. So, I’m asking you, will you marry me?’

‘Yes!’ Rey cried throwing her arms around Ben. They kissed and held each other tightly.

‘No more secrets, no more lies.’ Rey said.

‘No, from now on we tell each other everything.’ Ben agreed.

‘And on that note,’ Rey said wiping her eyes, ‘There’s something that I need to show you.’

Rey moved to the counter and picked up a large brown envelope.

‘What’s that?’ Ben asked.

‘When we did a background check on you previously, there was something that came up about your father. Your real father. I had a hunch you had never came across this information before, so I hired my own private detective and…well these are his findings.’

Ben sat down and Rey sat down next to him handing him the envelope.

‘I never opened it…I wanted to wait to be able to do that with you, maybe he hasn’t found anything at all…maybe its just a dead end…’

Ben ripped over the envelope and devoured the information.

‘Well?’ Rey asked.

Ben looked at her with wide eyes, ‘This isn’t about my father.’ He said.

Rey looked disappointed.

‘Its about my Mother,’ Ben continued, ‘Rey, I know who my mother is.’

**********


	16. A Fluffy Ending

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nothing but fluffy goodness here. Enjoy. :-)

_A few weeks later…_

‘Can you top me off Leia?’ Ben asked shaking his coffee mug lightly in his hand.

‘Of course.’ Leia said with a gently smile.

‘I’m just going to powder my nose.’ Rey said meaningfully as she slid out of the diner booth.

Leia came up to Ben’s table and poured his coffee.

‘Leia? You remember you told me about that decision that you regretted?’

‘Yes.’ Leia said absentmindedly.

‘I think I know.’ Ben said.

Leia stilled, ‘What?’

‘I think I know what the decision was that you regret.’

Leia swallowed hard.

‘You had a son didn’t you?’

Leia slid into the seat opposite Ben.

‘I did.’ She confirmed.

‘Your family weren’t happy with you having a child out of wedlock with a man they didn’t approve of were they?’

‘They just didn’t understand Han like I did!’ Leia blurted out before realising what she had done.

‘So you gave the child up?’ Ben coaxed.

‘I did. Han and I could not be together and we thought it was for the best, but it was the worst decision I ever made. I tried so many times to find him but it was too late. They said it was a closed adoption and there was nothing they could do.’

‘Did you name him?’

‘I didn’t. I never even gave him that much. I couldn’t face letting him go, so Han took care of it.’ Leia said with tears in her eyes.

‘So Han was the one who took the baby to the home?’

‘Yes. I couldn’t face it.’

‘Did you know Han’s full name?’ Ben asked gently.

Leia shook her head, ‘Han went by many aliases. He was always in trouble with the law. That’s why he travelled around so much and that’s why we couldn’t be together though we loved each other deeply.’

‘Han’s surname was Solo.’ Ben said.

Leia’s eyes widened.

‘Han told the staff at the home that your boy was called Ben. That boy later found out that his rightful surname was Solo.’ Ben said looking into Leia’s eyes.

Leia’s lip wobbled and her eyes filled with tears.

‘Is it true?’ She whispered.

‘It is. Leia, I’m your son.’

Leia sobbed then and grasped Ben's hands with her own.

‘My boy!’ She said between tears.

Rey reappeared and came to stand behind Ben placing her hands on his shoulders. She looked down at Leia with a watery smile.

‘Did you ask her yet?’ Leia asked.

‘Not yet.’ Ben smiled.

Leia looked at Rey and then at Ben questioningly.

‘Leia, we’re getting married and I wanted to ask if you would give me away? It might sound silly but I’ve always wanted to know where I came from and…’

‘Of course I will.’ Leia answered, cutting Ben off and squeezing his reassuringly hands.

Ben smiled at her.

‘Okay!’ Rey said cheerfully clapping her hands.

‘Now that’s sorted let’s get down to the important business of planning this wedding!’

‘You can have whatever you want, my Princess.’ Ben said.

Leia smiled, ‘Han used to call me that.’

‘I’m going to try and find him Leia.’ Ben said firmly.

Leia nodded, ‘He’s a difficult man to find, but I’ll help you as much as I can. I can’t believe you found your way back to me.’

‘With a little help.’ Ben said, taking Rey’s hand and placing a kiss upon it.

**********

_Two months later..._

‘Waiting?’ Finn asked incredulously.

‘Yes.’ Ben replied, ‘We talked about it, and we both decided it would be extra special to wait until the wedding night.’

‘Well if that’s what you two want to do. Jesus Ben, are your balls not blue though?’

Ben laughed out loud as he went through Finn’s business accounts.

‘Abstaining from sex Finn, not from _all_ sexual activity.’ He said not taking his eyes off the papers in front of him.

Finn grinned conspiratorially, ‘And on that note, I’m goina haul my ass off to work. See you later, boss.’

‘Finn I’ve told you a hundred times, I’m not your boss, I’m your partner.’

‘Right, sorry. See you later, partner. Hey! It’s kinda like we’re in a western! Yeehaw!’

Ben laughed again and returned to his work. If he was being truthful the pact had seemed like a good idea when he and Rey had originally agreed upon it. Sort of romantic...but the actual logistics of staying the course were more difficult than he had anticipated. Rey was his. Completely his. The most beautiful woman he had ever seen belonged to him. A woman who could anticipate what he needed before he even knew himself. It was incredibly intoxicating. Many cold showers were necessary for him keep his libido in check.

Thank god they hadn’t decided to avoid all sexual activity. His mind was momentarily distracted by thoughts of Rey. She was truly breath-taking naked. All fluid curves and gently muscles and she certainly knew her way around his body…

‘Shit.’ He said out loud as he realised how turned on he was getting just thinking about her.

‘Get back to your work lovestruck fool.’ He said to the empty room.

**********

‘I think it’s romantic.’ Rose said to Rey as she served a table their bacon and eggs.

‘I thought so too, but it’s proving a little harder than I realised it would be.’

‘Where’s your willpower?’ Rose joked.

‘You haven’t seen that boy naked.’ Rey said, fanning herself.

Rose laughed.

‘There’s something I’ve been meaning to ask you Rose.’

‘Yes?’

‘Will you be my maid of honour?’

‘Bout time you asked.’ Rose said with a smile.

‘Is that a yes?’

‘It’s a definitely.’

**********

_The day of the wedding..._

Rey knew there were parts of her wedding day she would never forget. Like Rose and Leia wiping away their tears of joy. Little Star’s serious face as she held up the cushion housing the all important gold bands, Warren telling Ben shyly that he would have picked him to be his father even if he had the choice of any dad in the whole world...but the thing she would remember the most was the look on Ben’s face as she walked down the aisle towards him in the small town chapel. That look of pure love and devotion in his eyes almost floored her, but she carried on down the narrow aisle until she reached his side.

The reception brought more wonderful memories as nearly everyone in town came to toast the happy couple. Ben’s family were missing of course, except for Leia who made up for their absence by fawning and fluttering around the happy couple all day. Rey was happy to see Ben and Leia slowly forming a bond that she hoped would only grow stronger and stronger.

Soon the evening turned into night and Ben and Rey nervously waved off the last of their guests. Leia bundled a very tired Star and Warren into a taxi and blew Rey and Ben a kiss as they pulled away.

Rey shyly took Ben’s hand as they looked at each other.

‘So…’ She said trailing off.

‘So…’ He said mirroring her.

Then their lips crashed together and they stumbled and kissed their way quickly up to their hotel room.

**********

_Later that evening…_

Rey and Ben lay in the only hotel in towns honeymoon suite. Naked and perspiring, Rey arched again as Ben pressed forward once more, his eyelids fluttering closed in ecstasy as he did so.

‘God Rey.’ He groaned.

Rey pulled his head down to press a hard kiss against his lips.

‘Take all of me.’ She murmured against his mouth.

Ben moved again and Rey moaned in approval, locking her thighs against his.

‘Yes...yes…’ she breathed as she reached climax, allowing the feeling of delicious weightlessness to coast through her glowing body.

Ben groaned as his release shook through him, momentarily stilling his movements, before falling forward and burying his face in Rey’s hair.

Rey smiled and hugged him to her.

‘Worth the wait?’ She whispered into his ear.

‘Worth the wait.’ Ben replied.

**********

In the morning they woke content and sore in each other’s arms.

‘I never in a million years would have thought that this was how my life would have turned out.’ Rey said.

‘Me neither.’ Ben replied.

‘If you could go back, and stop yourself from losing your memory. Would you do it?’ She asked.

‘No, because losing my memory led me to you.’

‘I wish I had never lied to you.’ Rey said sadly.

‘If you hadn’t, I would never have gotten to know you and I would have never fallen in love with you. I see now that was the only way.’

‘Will you miss your old life?’

‘Maybe some parts of it, but on the whole no, because that isn’t me anymore. That was someone else. Someone bitter and twisted and cruel.’

‘You were never any of those things. He just made you believe that his traits existing within you and after a while, you were so confused you didn’t know what to believe anymore.’

‘No one has ever known me as you do, Rey.’

‘Good.’ She replied making Ben grin.

‘We have three hours before we have to collect the kids.’ Rey said glancing at the clock.

‘Actually we have a little longer than that. We’re going on a surprise honeymoon. We fly to Paris this afternoon.’

‘Are you serious?’ Rey exclaimed.

‘Yup. Now, maybe you want to do something special for your husband to say thank you?’

Rey grinned and kissed Ben.

‘I wonder what you have in mind?’ She teased.

‘Mmmm...I might have some ideas…’ Ben said positioning himself over Rey and kissing her once more.

‘I don’t know what I could give you that you can’t buy for yourself moneybags!’ Rey said playfully.

Ben leaned down and kissed her gently then moved his lips to her ear,

‘How about a baby?’

**********

The End.


End file.
